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BIBLE ANIMALS. 


DR. NEWTON’S BOOKS. 




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Six vols. in a neat box. . . . $7.50. 


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“They are scriptural, logical, systematic, earnestly evangelical, and full 
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By the late Rev. Richard Newton, D.D., to which is added The 
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ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS, 

New York. 


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Dr. ><ewt<)u and bis Little Friends at the Cbauranqua Lake Convention. Frontia. 


Bible Animals 


AND THE 

LESSONS TAUGHT BY THEM. 


BY THE LATE 

REV. RICHARD NEWTON, D.D. 


Behold, I and the children which God hath given me. — Heb. ii. 13. 



NEW. YORK: 

ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS, 

530 Broadway. 




Copyright, 1888, 

By Robert Carter & Brothers. 


Copy 


EI.ECTROTYPED BY 

THE orphans’ press — CHURCH CHARITY FOUNDATION, BROOKLYN. 


CAMBRIDGE PRESS— JOHN WILSON & SONS. 


CONTENTS 


SEBMON page 

I. The Lion 9 

II. The Sheep .37 

III. The Camel 65 

IV. The Horse 90 

V. The Deer 127 

VI. The Bee 155 

VII. The Eagle 178 

VIII. The Ant 208 

IX. The Bear 236 

X. The Stork 264 

XI. The Ass 283 

XII. The Elephant. 308 

XIII. The Scorpion 344 

XIV. The Dove 367 

XV. The Monkey 394 

XVI. The Dog . 421 

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PREFACE. 


The present volume contains the sermons in Dr. 
Newton^s last course on Bible Animals,” which 
were found in his study at Chestnut Hill, Phila- 
delphia, after his death, and which are hereby pub- 
lished by his own dying lequcst. 

It is his last work for the young, and if the Saints 
in Paradise are conscious of what goes on in this 
world; it will give this faithful servant of God an 
added joy to know indeed that though he is removed 
from earth, he still speaks to his little friends, and 
that in very truth his works do follow him. 


New York, Sejpt. Isf, 1888. 






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1 . 


THE LION. 

*^The lion is the strongest among beasts.’* 

PROVERBS XXX. 30 . 

We enter now on a new course of sermons for 
the young. The subject of these sermons will be 
Bible Natural History , We shall take up one 
and another of the different beasts and birds 
mentioned in the Bible, and in their habits and 
characters, try to find illustrations of some of the 
truths taught us in the Bible, and of the duties 
that spring out of those truths. 

The first of the animals mentioned in the Bible 
that we will take up as our study is — the Lion. 
Solomon tells us, in our text, that — A lion is the 
strongest among beasts.’^ And this is true. We 
cannot look at the picture of a lion without seeing 
that he must be very strong. With a single 

stroke of his paw the lion can kill a dog, or a 

(9) 


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10 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


sheep, or a wolf. And when he has killed a 
horse, or an ox, he can carry it, or drag it away 
to his den with the greatest ease. 

The length of a full grown lion, from the tip 
of his nose to the end of his tail is between seven 
and eight feet. Its height at its shoulders is about 
three feet. The male lion has a heavy mass of 
hair around its neck and head, which is called its 
mane. 

And when the lion stands up before us, with 
its eyes flashing, its mane rising, and its tail 
waving, it appears to be, as it really is, one of 
the finest looking animals that God has made. 

The roar of the lion is terrible. The prophet 
Amos compares its roar to the voice of God, when 
he says : The lion roareth ; who will not fear ? 
The Lord hath spoken, who can but prophecy ? 
(Amos iii. 8.) It is not surprising to hear the 
lion called — the king of beasts,” or the mon- 
arch of the forest.” In the Old Testament times 
there were plenty of lions in the land of Palestine, 
and nearly all the prophets spoke about them 5 
but none are to be found there now. There are 
no lions in our country, or in England, except 


p. 10. 


The Lion is the Strong^^st Among Beasts/’ 









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THE LION. 


11 


where they are found in menageries. Asia and 
Africa are the principal countries where lions 
live and flourish in these days. 

Our sermon to-day will be about the lion and 
its lessons. And when we consider the habits 
and qualities of the lion, we find in them good 
illustrations of four important lessons which it 
will be well for us all to learn to practice. 

1 . 

The first of these is — the lesson of modera- 
tion. 

Notwithstanding the great strength of the lion, 
when he gets enough to eat he is satisfied, and 
does not ^go on killing either men or beasts, for 
the mere love of killing. But it is very different 
with some other animals. The wolf and the tiger, 
for example, are unlike the lion in this respect. 
They have no moderation. When they have had 
as much as they want to eat they are not satis- 
fied, but will go on killing, just because they love 
to kill. The lion is satisfied when it has enough 
to eat, and here we have an illustration of its 
moderation. 

In Wood’s Natural History we find a story 


12 


BIBLE AXjMALS. 


about a lion which shows us how true the point 
now before us is. 

He tells us about a soldier belonging to an 
English regiment which was stationed at the 
Cape of Good Hope in the southern part of Africa. 
This soldier had been told that up among the 
Dutch Boers, who lived in the interior of South- 
ern Africa, there were fine opportunities of mak- 
ing money and of getting rich. This was what 
he very much wanted. So he made up his mind 
that he would desert from his regiment, and go 
up among the Dutch Boers, and try to make his 
fortune there. He watched for a favorable op- 
portunity, and then he deserted and went. 

Before going, however, he was careful to get a 
big bag, filled with bread and meat, as his food 
for the journey, which would last for several 
days. In that part of Africa lions are very num- 
erous. At night, when this soldier lay down to 
sleep on the ground, he put the bag, which con- 
tained his provisions, under his head for a pillow. 
On the second night of his journey he lay down 
to sleep, with his head on his bag of provisions. 
During that night, while he was fast asleep, a 


THE LION. 


13 


great lion came prowling around him. When 
the lion came near him, and smelled the provis- 
ions in the bag, he put forth his huge paw, and 
pulling the bag from under the soldier^s head, 
carried it off, and made a good supper for him- 
self out of the contents of the bag. And when 
he had done this he was satisfied. He might 
have gone back, and sprung upon the sleeping 
soldier, and torn his body to pieces. But he had 
gotten something to eat, and that was enough for 
him. And in acting as he did that lion was giv- 
ing a good illustration of the lesson of moderation^ 

The Bible rule about moderation is given us 
by the apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy, 
when he says : having food and raiment, let us 
be therewith content.” (1 Tim. iii. 8.) 

But we often find it hard to learn this lesson ; 
and yet we never can be happy until we do learn 
it. Here is a good illustration of this. We may 
call it — 


ANNANS BREAKFAST. 

Anna was a little girl about ten years old, who 
had not learned the lesson of whJch we are 


14 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


speaking. One morning, on sitting down to 
breakfast, she said — 

Mother, wont you tell Jane to bring me some 
honey ? 

There is none, my dear,” said her mother. 

I sent the last we had to a poor sick girl j but 
there^s some nice syrup.” 

I don’t like syrup,” said Anna, and if I 
can^t have honey I wont eat my breakfast : I 
hate buckwheat cakes without honey.” 

Mrs. Grey looked sadly at her little girl, and 
was about to speak to her, when the door opened, 
and Jane, the cook, came in, saying: ^'Please 
ma’am here’s a poor little girl who wants some- 
thing to eat.” 

Bring her in, and let me see her,” said Mrs. 
Grey. 

Jane returned directly, leading a little girl 
about ten years old. She was very pale and 
thin, and very poorly drc:."ed. 

Mrs. Grey kindly led her to the fire, and then 
gave her some breakfast. In answer to Mrs. 
Grey’s inquiries, she said her name was Mary 
Willis j that her father had gone to California a 


THE LIOH. 


15 


year ago ; they had become so poor that they 
were obliged to live in a garret: Nelly the baby 
was crying for something to eat, and there was 
nothing to give it. So I asked mother to let 
me go out and beg this morning. It is the first 
time I ever begged. But I could not bear to see 
the dear baby crying for something to eat.” 

Mrs. Grey left the room, and Anna, who had 
not spoken a word, helped the little girl to some- 
thing which she thought she would like. Mrs. 
Grey soon returned with some warm clothes, in 
which she dressed Mary. Then she took a bas- 
ket, and put into it some cold meat and bread, a 
tin pail full of milk, with a tight cover, some tea 
and sugar, and told her she would go with her 
and see her mother. Anna, who felt she had 
done wrong, and had not yet spoken a word, 
asked if she might go. Her mother said yes.” 
Then she ran to get her cloak and bonnet. Mary 
took the basket, feeling very happy to think that 
she was carrying something for her mother, and 
the dear baby. Mrs. Grey and Anna followed 
her. They found Mrs. Willis, as Mary had said, 
living in a garret *, but it was as nice and clean 


16 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


as could be. Mrs. Willis was sewing on sailors’ 
sbirts, for which she received twelve and a half 
cents apiece. She could only make two a day, 
the pay for which would be twenty-five cents. 
All that this would bring her a week would be a 
dollar and a half. She had to pay half a dollar a 
week for her rent, and then there was only a 
dollar a week left for them to live upon. 

While hearing all this, Mrs. Grey had given 
Nelly, the baby, some bread and milk, for break- 
fast, which made her very happy. Then she 
arranged with Mrs. Willis, to have Willie, Mary’s 
brother, come to her house every morning, and 
do little jobs for her, and for which she would 
give him fifty cents a week. That would pay 
for their rent ; and she would try and get Mrs. 
Willis some more profitable work to do. 

After tea that evening Anna was alone with 
her mother. She came and knelt by her side, 
and hiding her face in her lap, she said : 0, 

mother, I see how very naughty I was this morn- 
ing ; wont you please forgive me ? ” Her mother 
stooped over and kissed her. Then she kneeled 
down with her, and asked God to forgive her. 


THE LION. 


17 


and teach her hereafter to he content with tsuch 
things as she had. 

Anna went to bed that night, repeating to her- 
self a hymn her mother had taught her, of which 
these are the first two verses : 

“Whene’er I take my walks abroad, 

How many poor I see ! 

What shall I render to the Lord 
For all his gifts to me ? 

“ Not more than others I deserve, 

Yet God has given me more ; 

For I have food, while others starve, 

Or beg from door to door.” 

Anna never forgot the lesson she learned that 
day. It was the lesson of contentment, or being 
thankful for such things as we have. 

And this is what we are now speaking of in 
connection with the lion. The first lesson we 
may learn from the lion is the lesson of modera- 
tion. 

II. 

The second lesson which the lion teaches us 
is — THE LESSON OF KINDNESS. 

We do not generally take in the idea of klnd- 
2 


18 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


ness in connection with the lion. When we think 
of the size of the lion — of his great strength — of 
his huge bristling mane — of his flashing eye — 
and of his terrific roar, we think how easy it 
would be for him to frighten, or to kill animals, 
or men j but to look for kindness towards other 
creatures, on the part of an animal like the lion, 
is something that we hardly expect to meet with. 

And yet, we do sometimes meet with very 
striking acts of kindness. Here is an illustration 
of what I mean. The story to which I refer may 
be called — 

THE LION^S PET. 

Some years ago a travelling circus, with a 
menagerie accompanying it, came to the city of 
Manchester in England, and remained there for 
some time. 

Great crowds of people came together every 
day, to see the strange sights which were to be seen 
there. Among those who came one day, was a 
man with a little dog. This dog had just been 
beaten by another dog with which it had been 
fighting. The other dog was the larger of the 


THE LION. 


19 


two, and it was no wonder that the little thing 
should have been beaten. But the owner of the 
dog was in a perfect rage with it because it did 
not beat the other dog. He seized the poor 
creature, and though it was bleeding and suf- 
fering from the effect of the fight, he shook it, 
and beat it most cruelly. Then he hurried into 
the circus tent, and going up to the front of the 
lion’s cage, he thrust the dog through the iron 
bars, expecting to see the lion spring towards 
him, and devour him in a moment. But he did 
not do this. 

The dog seemed to understand the danger he 
was in ; for he crouched upon the floor, and 
crept away into a corner of the den, as far from 
the lion as he could get. The lion fixed his gaze 
upon him, but did not stir. At last the dog 
seemed to gather hope, and crawling slowly to- 
wards the monarch of the forest,” he looked 
pleadingly up into his face, as if he meant to say. 

Please, wont you be kind to a poor dog ? ” 

To the surprise of all who were looking on, 
the king of beasts, who could have crushed the 
dog to death with one stroke of his huge paw. 


20 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


gently drew the helpless creature to his side, and 
then raised his lordly head and neck above him, 
as if he meant to say : Don’t be afraid, little 
doggy : I’m your protector now, and no one shall 
hurt you.” 

And now the owner of the dog had gotten over 
his foolish anger towards him, and felt as if he 
would like to have him back again. So he went 
to the keeper of the tent, and asked him to give 
him his dog. You put him in the cage your- 
self,” said the keeper, and you can go and get 
him out.” 

The man went up to the cage and called his 
dog : but the dog took no notice of him. It was 
just as if he had said : No, I don’t want to come. 
I’ve got a better master than you, and I would 
rather stay with him.” 

Then the old master called again and again y 
he whistled, and he coaxed, but the dog took no 
notice of him. At last he got angry, and began 
to scold and threaten ; then the lion looked to- 
wards the man with his eyes flashing fire, and 
gave one of his terrible roars. This frightened 
the man, who turned and ran away, while all the 


THE LION. 


21 


people in the tent laughed at him. The lion 
never would let the dog he taken away from him, 
and so they continued friends together as long as 
the dog lived. 

Now that lion certainly did teach the lesson 
of kindness. And we ought to learn, and prac- 
tice this lesson, because of the good we can do 
by kindness. 

Here is a good illustration of the power of 
kindness. This story may be called — 

KINDNESS REWARDED. 

A number of years ago an officer of the Eng- 
lish government was stationed on duty in the 
Highlands of Scotland. In attending to the duties 
of his office, he had every day to walk a number 
of miles through the country. One day, in the 
course of his walk, without exactly knowing why, 
he felt a desire to look into a cattle shed, which 
stood near the side of the road, in a lonely place, 
far away from any dwelling. On entering it, he 
found, to his surprise, a poor Irish laborer, lying 
there. This man had been engaged, during the 
summer, in doing field work, in that part of the 


22 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


country. As he was on his way home to Ireland, 
he was taken suddenly sick, and this led him to 
go into the cattle shed. He had been there a 
night and part of a day, and when the officer 
found out how much he was in want of food, he 
returned to his lodgings, and got for the poor 
Irishman the food that he needed. Then he 
made him as comfortable as he could, and prom- 
ised to call and see him again the next day. He 
kept on doing this, for a number of days, tiU the 
poor man got well enough to start on his journey 
to Ireland. 

About a year after this had taken place, the 
officer was removed to Ireland. Before he had 
been there long, he met in the street one day, 
the very Irishman to whom he had shown so 
much kindness in Scotland. The poor man be- 
came almost wild with delight, on seeing the 
officer, and shouted out, at the top of his voice : 

Here^s the man that saved my lifeP And in a 
little while all the people in that part of the 
country, got to know this officer, and what he 
had done to their countryman. And the kind- 
ness of the officer to this man, was the means 


THE LION, 


23 


of saving his own life, several times. For, dur- 
ing the first year that he was in Ireland, a great 
famine prevailed there. This led to great suf- 
fering, and caused many deaths. On more than 
one occasion, this officer found himself surrounded 
by men with pistols in their hands, who were 
about to kill him ; but, as soon as they saw who 
it was, they would cry out : Sure and youWe the 
man who saved Fat Moony^s life ; we wont hurt 
tjouF 

And all the time he remained in that district, 
he was known, and spoken of, by the people, as 
the man who was kind to a poor sick Irishman, 
when far away from his home. This was indeed 
kindness rewarded. And so we see that the 
second lesson, taught us by the lion, is the lesson 
of kindness. 

III. 

The third lesson we may learn from the lion 
is — THE LESSON OF OBEDIENCE. 

The one to be obeyed, above all others, is 
God. He tells us, in the Bible, what he wants 
us to do. In the Old Testament we have his ten 
commandments, and God expects us to show our 


24 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


obedience to Him by keeping these command- 
ments. In the New Testament we are told : — 

This is His commandment, that we should be- 
lieve on his Son Jesus Christ.^^ And when we 
learn to love and serve Jesus, we are obeying 
God, in the way in which He wants us to do 
it. But there is no Bible for the lions, which 
can teU them what God wants them to do. How 
then can they obey God ? This is a question 
which may well be asked here. But, without 
preparing a Bible for the lions, God is able, in 
other ways, to make them imderstand what he 
wants them to do, or not to do. And when they 
mind what God tells them, in any way, then they 
obey God themselves, and teach us the lesson of 
obedience. We have a good illustration of this, 
in what the Bible tells us about Daniel in the 
lions’ den. 

At that time Daniel was at the head of all the 
great princes in the kingdom of Babylon. Some 
of those wicked princes disliked him, because he 
was so pious and good. They wanted to find 
some fault with him, and try aiid get the king to 
take away his high office from him. But he was 


THE LION. 


25 


so faithful in the discharge of all his duties, that 
there was no fault for them to find with him. 

Then they made up their minds to find fault 
with him about his religion. They knew that he 
was in the habit of praying to God three times a 
day. And so they got the king to pass a law, 
that no one should offer a prayer to any God for 
thirty days j and that if any one did so, he 

should be cast into the den of lions. The king 

* 

passed this law without thinking about Daniel. 
When Daniel knew that this law had been pass- 
ed, he paid no attention to it, but went on pray- 
ing to God three times a day, as he had been ac- 
customed to do. Then his enemies accused him 
to the king of breaking the law of the kingdom, 
and demanded that he should be cast into the 
den of lions. The king was very fond of Daniel, 
and when he found how things had turned out, 
he blamed himself severely for passing such a 
foolish law, and tried hard to save Daniel from 
the lions. But he could not do this ; for the law 
had to be executed, and so Daniel was cast into 
the den of lions. The thought of this troubled 
the king so much, that he could not sleep any all 


26 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


that night. As soon as it was light, in the 
morning, he rose and dressed himself, and has- 
tened to the lions^ den, to see what had become 
of Daniel. To his surprise he found him there 
alive and well. Then he cried out : O, Dan- 
iel, servant of the living God ; is thy God, 
whom thou servest continually, able to deliver 
thee from the lions ? 

And Daniel said, O, king, live forever ; my 
God hath sent his angel and shut the lions^ 
mouths •j and they have not hurt me.” 

Now the question that comes before us here is 
this : what did the angel do to the lions, to keep 
them from devouring Daniel ? If he had put 
muzzles on their jaws, so that they could not 
open their mouths, we could easily understand it. 
But he did not do this. We can only think of 
one other thing which the angel did. He must 
have made those lions imderstand, in some way 
or other, we know not how, that it was the will 
of God that they must not hurt that man Daniel, 
who was put in their den. And when the lions 
knew this, they minded it. They obeyed God 5 
and in doing this they taught you, and me, 


THE LION. 


27 


and all people the important lesson of obedience. 

And here is an illustration, outside of the 
Bible, just of the same kind. This story we 
may call — 

THE lion’s sermon. 

A sermon with this singular title, has been 
delivered in the Church of Saint Catherine free, 
Leadenhall Street, London, in the month of Oc- 
tober, every year, since the reign of King 
Charles I., which is more than two hundred 
years ago. At the time just spoken of, there 
lived in London a wealthy merchant, whose name 
was Sir John Gay or. 

He was an active member of the church 
above referred to, and gave large sums of money 
to help in carrying on the good work in which it 
was engaged. At one period of his life, he 
made up his mind, for purposes connected with 
his business, to undertake a long journey on the 
continent of Asia. This was, then, a very dan- 
gerous thing to do. In the course of that journey 
he met with many strange adventures. After 
his return home, he wrote a history of those 


28 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


adventures, which was printed. But the volume 
which contained that history was burned in the 
Great Fire of London. Yet the account of one 
interesting circumstance, connected with that 
journey, has been preserved. 

And it comes in very well to illustrate the 
point of our subject now before us. One day, 
while travelling through Arabia, Sir John was 
separated from his companions, and was obliged 
to travel by himself alone. As he was doing this, 
to his great alarm, he saw a huge, fierce-looking 
lion coming towards him. He had no gun with 
which to defend himself, and felt sure that the 
time had come for him to die, unless it should 
please God to protect and save him. 

In a moment he kneeled down, and engaged in 
earnest prayer. He asked the Lord mercifully 
to spare his life, and deliver him from the jaws 
of that hungry lion. While he was thus praying 
the lion walked close up to him, and went 
prowling round him several times, and then 
quietly turned round and went away, without the 
slightest injury to that man of prayer. 

Now how can we account for this ? Just in the 


THE LION. 


29 


same way in wMcli Daniel accounted for hi^ 
preservation from the lions in that den. God 
had sent his angel and shut the mouth of that 
Arabian lion, and made him feel that it was the 
command of God to him, not to hurt that pray- 
ing man. And this lion obeyed God, just as 
those lions in Babylon did. 

And, on his return to England, Sir John gave 
£200, or $1000, to the church above spoken of, 
on the condition that a sermon should be preach- 
ed in that church every year in memory of 
God’s goodness in saving him from the jaws of 
that lion. 

And here we see that the third lesson which 
the lion teaches us, is the lesson of obedience. 

This is the most important of all lessons for us 
to learn. Our happiness, our usefulness, and our 
salvation all depend upon it. Then let it be our 
earnest prayer that God may teach us to learn 
and practice this lesson. 

IV. 

The fourth lesson we may learn from the lion, is 
THE LESSON OF GEATITUDE. 

We find no examples of this part of our sub- 


30 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


ject in what we read in the Bible about lions ; 
but outside of the Bible we do meet with such 
examples. Here are two which are just to the 
point. The first may be called : 

A LION^S GRATITUDE TO HIS KEEPER. 

Some years ago there was a menagerie stay- 
ing at a town in Ireland, that used to be called 
Birr, on a river of that name, but which is now 
called Parsonstown. In this menagerie there was 
a large cage, in which a lion and a tiger were both 
kept together. The keeper had always been 
very kind in his treatment of them. The noble- 
hearted lion appreciated his kindness, and evi- 
dently felt grateful to him for it. But the kind- 
ness of the keeper seemed to have no effect 
upon the tiger. The time came unexpectedly, 
when the lion had an opportunity of showing . his 
gratitude to the keeper, and he did so in a way 
that he would never be likely to forget. 

One day, the keeper had occasion to go into 
this den, as he was in the habit of doing, for the 
purpose of cleaning it. While he was thus occu- 
pied, the tiger sprung at him, knocked him 


THE LION, 


31 


down, and buried bis teeth in the keeper^s thigh, 
as if he intended to tear him in pieces. And he 
would soon have done this, if it had not been for 
the lion. But this grateful creature, as soon as 
he saw the trouble his kind keeper was in, 
sprang towards the tiger, and seizing him by the 
neck, gave him a tremendous shake. This 
frightened him. In a moment he let go his hold 
on the keeper j and as soon as the lion let him 
off, he sneaked away — to the farthest corner of 
tha cave, crouched down on the floor, and hid 
his head, as if he were ashamed of himself. 
Now, in acting as he did, on this occasion, that 
noble lion was teaching the lesson of gratitude. 

The other illustration of this part of our sub- 
ject, is a well-known story, from the pages of Ro- 
man history. It dates back as far as the middle 
of the second century, and may be called : 

ANDROCLES AND THE LION. 

Androcles was the slave of a wealthy Roman 
citizen. He was very badly treated by his mas- 
ter, and at last he made up his mind to run 
away. He did soj and getting down to the 


32 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


southern part of Italy, he managed, in some way 
or other, to get carried over to Africa, which 
was his native country. In travelling on foot 
through a forest one day, he saw a cave, and be- 
ing tired with his journey, he went into it, to sit 
down and rest. As he was resting there, he saw 
a huge lion come into the cave. He was hob- 
bling on three feet, and holding up one of his 
fore feet, as if it was causing him great pain. 
Seeing a man in the cave, the lion came limping 
up to him, and held out his wounded foot, a? 
though he wanted to say : Please sir, can you 
do anything to relieve me of the pain I am 
suffering from this foot ? 

Androcles looked at it, and saw in a moment 
what was the trouble. There was a thorn in the 
foot, with a great swelling, and inflammation 
around it. So he gently took away the thorn, 
and pressed out the clotted blood, which had 
gathered round it. Then he cooled it, by bath- 
ing it in the water from a spring, near the mouth 
of the cave. This made the lion feel very com- 
fortable, and it kindled in his heart a feeling of 
gratitude towards the man who had done him the 


THE LION. 


33 


great kindness. He looked at him tenderly, 
rubbed his head gently against the side of An- 
drocles, leaped joyfully around him, and swung 
his great tail about, as if he was trying tO' say : 

I am very much obliged to you, for your kind- 
ness, in relieving my foot of its great pain.^^ 

Then the lion stayed by Androcles, and be- 
came his companion in the cave. He used to go 
out hunting every day, and bring something 
home for them both to eat. In this way Andro- 
cles lived for some time. But at last, he had to 
leave the cave, and his friend the lion, and find 
something to do. 

Several years after this, he concluded to go 
back to Italy. But he had not been there long 
before his old master found him. Then he was 
put in prison, and was condemned to be thrown 
to the wild beasts, on one of their great public 
holidays. 

The Emperor, and thousands of people were 
there to see the great sight. Androcles was led 
out into the amphitheatre, and a lion, which had 
been kept a good while without food, was let 

loose to devour him. The lion came bounding 
3 


34 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


and roaring towards him. But, when he got 
near to him, instead of springing on him, and 
tearing him to pieces, he crouched at his feet, 
rubbed his head lovingly against his side, wag- 
ged his tail, and looked tenderly into his face. 
It was the old lion of the African cave. He re- 
membered his kind friend, and felt grateful to 
him still. The Emperor was astonished on see- 
ing this. He sent for Androcles to explain the 
mystery. He told the story, of what had taken 
place in that cave in Africa. The Emperor was 
so pleased with what he heard, that he pardoned 
Androcles, and gave him his liberty. 

Here we see how well that lion had learned, and 
taught, the lesson of gratitude. And when we 
remember how much more Jesus has done for us, 
than Androcles did for that lion, we should never 
forget what a debt of gratitude we owe to him. 

Here is a little story which shows us how we 
should feel on this subject. We may call it — 

GRATITUDE FOR SALVATION. 

A missionary in India, went one Sabbath even- 
ing to the dying bed of one of his native converts. 


THE LION. 


35 


I understand/^ said the dying man, that you 
have been preaching to-day about heaven. To- 
morrow I expect to be in heaven. The first 
thing I shall do, on arriving there, will be to go 
directly to the blessed Saviour, and thank Him, 
with all my heart, for causing you to leave your 
home in a Christian land, and come to tell us poor 
darkened heathens about Him, and the way to 
heaven. Then I shall go and sit down by the 
pearly gate, and wait till you come. As soon as 
you arrive, I will take you by the hand, and 
lead you to the Saviour, and say to Him — 
Blessed Lord, this is the man that taught me 
to know and love Thee, and showed me the way 
to this happy world.^^ 

That man had learned the lesson of gratitude, 
for the great blessing of salvation, and this lesson 
we should all try to learn. 

Now, where is our text to-day ? Proverbs xxx. 
30. What are the words of the text % The 
lion is the strongest among beasts.^’ What is the 
sermon about ? The lion and its lessons. How 
many of these lessons did we speak of % Four. 
What was the first? The lesson of modera- 


36 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


tion. What was the second ? The lesson ofTcind- 
ness. What was the third ? The lesson of ohedi^ 
ence. And what was the fourth ? The lesson of 
gratitude. 

And if we hope to learn, and practise these 
lessons, our constant prayer to God must be, in 
the language of one of the beautiful Collects, 
^Ghat we may both perceive and know what 
things we ought to do, and also may have grace 
and power faithfully to fulfil the same, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.^^ 


11 . 


THE SHEEP. 

“ J am the good shepherd : my sheep hear my wice, and they 
follow we.” — J ohn x. 14, 27. 

The next of the animals mentioned in the Bible 
of which we wish to speak is the sheep. This is 
a very different animal from the one we consider- 
ed last, namely, the lion. It is very different in 
size. It has none of the lion’s strength or courage. 
The lion is a wild animal that has never been of 
any real use to men. But the sheep is now, and 
always has been, a tame, domestic animal, and a 
very useful one. It is useful for its wool, which 
is employed for making clothing, for its milk, 
and for its flesh, which forms one of the most 
wholesome articles of food that God has given to 
men. 

The sheep is the first animal particularly 

mentioned in the Bible. We find it spoken of in 

(37) 


38 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


the fourth chapter of Genesis, where we are told 
that, Abel was a keeper of sheep.^’ Sheep are 
spoken of more frequently in the Bible than any 
other animal. After a partial examination of 
this subject, I was going to say that they are 
spoken of about one hundred and fifty times in 
the Bible. But, just then, I was reading what 
an English clergyman had written on this subject, 
when I found he said that they are mentioned in 
the Bible about five hundred times. 

In the early times spoken of in the Bible, the 
sheep which the patriarchs owned, formed one 
of the principal sources of their wealth. We are 
told of Job, that in the latter part of his life, he 
had fourteen thousand sheep. 

We cannot help feeling an interest in a sheep 
when we look at it. Some of them have horns, 
and others have none. 

The nice, soft coat of fleecy wool which the 
sheep wears, the smoothly-rounded form of its 
limbs, and the pleasing expression of its patient, 
quiet-looking face, give it a very attractive 
appearance. And then there is a kindliness of 
feeling, and a degree of good common sense often 


THE SHEEP. 


39 


found marking the sheep, which are well illus- 
trated by the following little incident : 

Some time ago, a boy, about fourteen years 
old, was riding on a pony near the village of 
Vinsgath, in one of the Shetland Islands. As 
he was going slowly along the road, he saw a 
sheep coming out from a field. It came right up to 
the side of the pony, and then stood still, and 
looked up into his face, and kept bleating mourn- 
fully. 

It seemed to the boy as if the poor sheep was 
trying to say, ^^Won^t you please come and 
help me ? He felt sure that there was some- 
thing wrong. 

So getting off from the pony, he fastened it to 
a tree, and then went along with the sheep. 
It led him through the field, till they came to the 
bank of a large pond. 

On the side of this bank there was a little 
lamb, belonging to the sheep, which had its foot 
caught fast in a hole. The poor thing was still 
living, but stiff and cold. 

The boy took hold of the lamb, and after 
some little trouble succeeded in getting its foot 


40 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


loose, and then he laid the lamb down on the 
grass. As soon as this was done, the mother 
sheep went and laid down by its side, to warm it 
and give it some milk. But while doing this, 
she looked gratefully towards the boy, and 
kept bleating out her thanks to him, till he 
mounted his pony and rode off. 

But the chief source of our interest in the 
sheep, is that they were used by the Jews as 
their principal sacrifices to God, and that Jesus 
is called, the Lamb of God, that taketh away 
the sins of the world.^^ 

And then it is a matter of great interest to 
us to know that Jesus calls His people His 
sheep, and compares himself to their Shepherd, 
when He says, I am the Good Shepherd, and 
know my sheep, and am known of mine.^’ 

We cannot consider the sheep here, without con- 
sidering the shepherd, too. And so the subject 
of our sermon to-day will be — 

THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP. 

And in studying this subject there are two 
questions for us to answer. The first is, what the 









- 




p. 40. 


I am the Good Shepherd.” 






THE SHEEP. 


41 


Good Shepherd does for his sheep f The other is, 
tvhat he expects His sheep to do for Him f 

We are first to consider what the Good Shep- 
herd does for his sheep ? He does two things for 
them. 

The first thing that the Good Shepherd does 
for his sheep is to protect them. 

Sheep are exposed to many dangers, from 
which they are not able to protect themselves. 
When David was a shepherd he tells us of a lion 
and a bear, that each came and stole away a lamb 
from his flock j and how he went after the wild 
beasts, and slew them, and saved his lambs. 
And this is just what Jesus, the Good Shepherd, 
does for His sheep. He protects them from 
Satan their great enemy, who goeth about as a 
roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.’^ 
And in the same way he protects them from all 
their enemies, and from every danger. Here 
are some of the precious promises, which he gives 
for His people, in view of the dangers which sur- 
round them. In one place He says to each of his 
people : I will never leave thee nor forsake 
thee.” In another place He says : The Lord 


42 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in, 
from this time forth, for evermore.” And there 
are multitudes of such sweet promises in the 
Bible. And so, we see that under the promised 
protection of the Good Shepherd, the sheep are 
always safe. 

Here are some illustrations of this part of our 
subject. Our first story may be called — 

RUN OVER. 

A Christian mothe;|^ who lived in the city of 
New York, in very humble circumstances, had 
only one child, a little boy about seven years old, 
whom she had taught to know and love the 
Saviour. One day, when this good mother was 
going quietly on with her work at home, she was 
startled by a loud knock at the door of her hum- 
ble dwelling. 

On opening the door she received this alarm- 
ing message : Hurry away to the police 

station ; your little boy has been run over.” 
She was terribly frightened, and hastening as 
fast as she could to the station-house, on arriving 
there she found her little boy surrounded by 


THE SHEER, 


43 


strangers. The doctor had been sent for, but 
had not yet arrived. She was told that the 
wheels of a large carriage had gone over his foot, 
but on examining it carefully, she was surprised 
to find no real injury about the foot. 

^^Why, Willie darling, how was it possible 
for the wheel of the carriage to have gone over 
your foot, and not have crushed it \ 

The child looked tenderly up into his mother’s 
face, and said : 

Mamma dear, I guess God must have put it 
in a hollow place.” 

This shows what faith that little boy had in the 
protection which Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has 
promised to exercise over His sheep. He always 
has a hollow place” to put them in when dan- 
ger is near. 

Our next story may be called — 

NOT AFEAID OF SATAN. 

A little boy came to his father one day, look- 
ing very much in earnest, and asked this ques- 
tion : Father, is Satan stronger than I am ? ” 

Yes, my boy,” said the father. 


44 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Is he stronger than you, father 1 ” 

Yes, my boy, he is stronger than your 
father, or any other man.’’ 

Is he stronger than J esus, father ? ” 

No, my boy,” said the father. Jesus is 
ever so much stronger than he is.” 

The little fellow, as he turned away, said, 
with a smile, Then I am not afraid of him.” 

That boy felt sure that the Good Shepherd in 
whom he trusted would protect him from any 
harm that Satan might try to do him. 

Here is another story which may be called — 

A LITTLE girl’s FAITH IN THE GOOD SHEP- 
HERD’S LOVE. 

This little girl was about nine years old, and 
lived in Colorado. One afternoon she was try- 
ing to bring some calves home. She was led 
astray by them, and lost her way in the forest. 

Night came on, a chilly November night, and 
with strange calmness, she kept walking slowly 
on till morning, not knowing where she was. 
At last, in God’s providence, she reached a 


THE SHEEP, 


45 


farmer^s house a long distance away from her 
home, and there was safe. 

Many questions were asked her about how she 
got through the night. In answer to these she said : 
^^The wolves kept close to my heels, and snapped 
at my feet ; but I remembered how my mother 
had taught me always to pray to God for protec- 
tion when I was in danger. I did so pray, and 
then I knew that the wolves couldn^t hurt me, 
because God wouldn’t let them.” ' 

How sweet that little girl’s faith was in that 
protection which the Good Shepherd exercises 
over His sheep ! 

We may close this part of our subject with 
some sweet lines about trusting God. 

Trust God’s wisdom tliee to guide, 

Trust His goodness to provide ; 

Trust His saving love and power, 

Trust Him every day and hour ; 

Trust Him as the only Light, 

Trust Him in the darkest night ; 

Trust in sickness, trust in health. 

Trust in poverty and wealth ; 

Trust in joy and trust in grief. 

Trust His promise for relief ; 

Trust in living, dying, too, 

# 

Trust Him all thy journey through!” 


46 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


The first thing that the Good Shepherd does 
for his sheep, is to protect them. 

The second thing which the Good Shepherd does 
for his sheep is to provide for them. 

This is something which the sheep cannot do 
for themselves, and unless the shepherd does it 
for them they must perish. Hence, David, when 
speaking of the Lord as the Shepherd of his 
sheep, says, that, He leadeth them beside the 
still waters, and maketh them to lie down in 
green pastures.” 

And when the sheep have still water to drink, 
and green pastures to lie down in, they have all 
the provision made for them that they can need. 
And this is just what Jesus the Good Shepherd 
does for his sheep. He supplies all their wants 
according to the riches of his grace. He never 
leaves them nor forsakes them, till he has done 
all that He has spoken to them of in His holy 
word. 

Here are some illustrations of the way in which 
the Good Shepherd provides for his sheep. Our 
first story may be called : 


THE SHEEP. 


47 


GOD DOES HEAR PRATER. 

One bitter cold night, in the winter of 1873, a 
Christian widow living in Connecticut, was in 
great distress. Her money was all gone, and she 
had nothing with which to get food for her fam- 
ily the next day. She could not sleep any that 
night. At midnight she arose, and engaged in 
earnest prayer. She told the Lord about her 
trouble, and asked him to provide for her relief. 
That same night, a cousin of hers, whom she had 
not seen for several years, found himself so rest- 
less that he could not sleep. Then he got up, 
and being a Christian man, he engaged in earn- 
est prayer, and especially asked God to bless the 
suffering poor. While he was praying, the 
thought of his cousin came into his mind. He 
felt sure that she was in want, and made up his 
mind to send her fifty dollars the first thing in 
the morning. 

He did this. And here we see how the Good 
Shepherd made provision for the wants of one 
of his needy sheep. Our next illustration may 
be called — 


48 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


GRANNY^S STORY. 

One afternoon/^ said a Christian lady to a 
friend, I had taken a long walk, and feeling 
tired, I called at a cottage by the roadside, and 
asked if I might rest there awhile. 

^ With pleasure, ma’am, said a clean, plain- 
looking, middle-aged woman. ^We are just 
having tea, and if you will take a cup with us, 
we shall be glad.’ 

I did so, with pleasure j and found, from 
conversation with them, that they were a happy 
Christian family. In the corner, by the fire- 
place, sat the old grandmother of the family, or 
^ granny,’ as they called her. She was crippled 
with rheumatism, and unable to do anything. I 
spoke a few kind words to her, and this was 
what she said in reply : 

^ Some folks ask me if I don’t find it hard 
to have to sit here helpless, from morning till 
night ; but I ain’t served the Lord Jesus fifty 
years, without finding out that His grace is suffi- 
cient for all the trials of this life. Ah ! I could 
tell you many a story of His faithfulness. But 


THE SHEEP, 


49 


there is one answer to prayer in particular that 
I never can forget. 

My husband hadn^t been dead a year, 
when all my five children were stricken down 
with scarlet fever. Not a neighbor dare come 
near us. I nursed them all myself, and no one 
but the doctor crossed the threshold for seven 
weeks. Well, one Saturday night, I had eaten 
the last bit of bread for my supper, and put 
the last piece of coal on the fire, and Vd not a 
penny left to buy more. 

I got my Bible and opened at the 49th chap- 
ter of Jeremiah, and read on till I came to the 
verse which says : ‘ Leave thy fatherless child- 
ren, I will preserve them alive, and let thy wid- 
ows trust in me.^ I stopped there, and knelt 
down and told the Lord all about my trouble. 
Then I went to bed. About six o’clock in the 
morning, I heard a knock at the door. I went 
down and opened it. A strange man stood there 
with a big basket. 

^ Does Mrs. Grant live here ’ 

^ Yes,’ said 1. 

^ My Missis has sent this,’ he answered. 

4 


50 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Before I could get over my surprise he^d set 
the basket down, and walked off as fast as he 
could. 

When I opened the basket, there was every- 
thing in it that I needed : tea, sugar, bread, but- 
ter, candles and soap. And the strangest thing 
about it is, that from that day to this, IVe never 
found out where it came from : except I know 
that the Lord sent it. 

^^But that wasn^t all that happened. Just 
about 9 o’clock, on that same Sunday evening, 
there was another knock at the door. When I 
opened it, Farmer Griggs, one of the deacons of 
our chapel, was there. 

^ Mrs. Grant,’ says he, ^ we’re all very sorry 
for you ; and if you’ll accept it, we made a col- 
lection for your benefit to-night ; and when this 
is gone let us know, and there’ll be more, for we 
ain’t a’ going to let you starve ! ’ 

And there, in the moonlight, he counted into 
my hand two pounds, ten shillings and six- 
pence.” 

Now certainly that good old Granny had a 
very satisfactory, practical proof, that Jesus, 


THE SHEEP. 


51 


the Good Shepherd, does provide for his sheep ! 

And thus we have considered the two things 
which the Good Shepherd does for his sheep. 
He protects them — and He provides for them. 
And now we come to consider the other question 
before us, this is — what the Good Shepherd ex~ 
pects His sheep to do for Him, He expects them 
to do two things for Him. The first of these is — 
He expects them to hear His voice, My sheep 
hear my voice,’’ he says. 

In this country, or in England, sheep never 
know the voice of the shepherd, and cannot tell 
the difference between his voice and that of any 
other man. But it was very different in the 
land where the Bible was written. There, the 
shepherds gave names to their sheep, and when 
they called them they would answer to the call, 
and come at once to the shepherd. And Jesus 
was referring to this when he said that the shep- 
herd goeth before his sheep, for they know his 
voice, and follow him, but a stranger will they 
not follow, for they know not the voice of stran- 
gers. ” We have a good illustration of this in 
the following incident. 


52 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Some time ago, in a large village of Palestine, 
a certain man had a sheep, of which he was 
very fond, and which was a great pet with him. 
At one time he missed it from the little fold 
where he used to keep it, in a field adjoining his 
house. On making inquiries about it, he found 
that one of his neighbors had it in his field. He 
asked to have it returned to him, but the man 
who had it refused to do this j then the owner of 
the sheep went to the judge, who had been ap- 
pointed to see that the law was properly execu- 
ted in that part of the country, and brought a 
charge against his neighbor of stealing his sheep. 
The judge had the two men brought into court 
for trial, and the sheep was brought with them. 
Each of them declared that the sheep belonged 
to him. But how could it be proved which of 
those two men was really the owner of the 
sheep ? 

After thinking over the matter for a little 
while, the judge concluded that the best way of 
settling the question would be, by appealing to 
the sheep itself, and making use of the know- 
ledge which those animals have of the voice of 


THE SHEEP, 


53 


their shepherd or keeper. So he told one of his 
officers to take the sheep into an adjoining 
room, and leave it there with the door ajar, so 
that it could hear when called. Then he told 
the man who was charged with stealing the 
sheep to call it. 

The man called again and again, but the 
sheep took no notice of the call. 

Then the judge told the other man, the real 
owner of the sheep, to call it. He called it by 
the name he had given to it, and which the 
sheep knew very well. In a moment it pricked 
up its ears and began to cry — ^baa ! — baa ! as 
if it wanted to say : Here I am.’^ Then it 
hastened towards the door of the room in which 
it was, pushed the door open, and went straight 
up to him, bahing as it went. 

This settled the matter at once. The judge 
told this man to take the sheep, as it was cer- 
tainly his ; then he made the other man pay a fine 
for stealing and lying. 

Here we see that the sheep knows the voice 
of its keeper, or shepherd, when he speaks to 
it; so, if we are the 'sheep of Jesus — the Good 


54 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Shepherd — we shall hear his voice when he 
speaks to us. Jesus has many ways of making 
His sheep hear His voice. Sometimes he does 
this in ways that seem very wonderful. We 
have only room for one illustration here. We 
may call it — 

HOW A WANDERING SHEEP WAS MADE TO HEAR 
THE shepherd’s VOICE. 

Some years ago, the captain of an East India 
vessel was attacked, while cruising in the Indian 
Ocean, by a piratical vessel. The attack was 
so sudden and unlooked for, that the mer- 
chant vessel fell an easy prey into the hands of 
the pirates. The captain and several of the 
crew were slain in the conflict, and the rest 
were bound in chains and put into the pirate’s 
boats, to be taken to their vessel. Then the 
captain of the pirates and some of his men were 
going down into the cabin, to see what treasures 
they could find, before burning the vessel. 

On going down the companionway, a soft, 
low voice was heard in prayer. The captain 
motioned to his men to rem’^in on deck, while he 


THE SHEEP, 


55 


went quietly down the stairs to find out where 
the voice came from. Stooping down he peeped 
into a door which was ajar, and there he saw 
kneeling a fair young mother with a beautiful 
boy at her side. One arm was clasped fondly 
around her child, and the other was lifted up in 
earnest supplication. And these were the words 
which the pirate heard her utter in a voice of 
melting agony, as he saw the tears rolling down 
her cheeks ; Oh ! God of all mercy, save 
the life of my dear child, if such be thy Holy 
Will j but rather let him perish now by the 
assassin^s knife, than fall a living prey into such 
hands, to be trained to a life of sin and shame. 
Let him die now, if such be thy decree ; but 
0 ! let him not live to dishonor Thee, and perish 
at last eternally.” 

The voice ceased, choked with tears of agony. 
And there stood the pirate, perfectly over- 
whelmed by the tumult of his own feelings. His 
thoughts went back to the scenes of his child- 
hood. He had had a pious mother. Her 
prayers and instructions, for so many years 
forgotten, rose up before him then, and God^s 


56 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Spirit sent such an arrow of conviction to his 
heart, that instead of carrying out his murderous 
designs, he sank upon his knees, and with 
heart-breaking agony cried out : God be 

merciful to me, a sinner ! 

On rising from his knees, he assured the lady 
that no harm should be done to her. Then he 
went on deck, unbound the captive crew, and 
restoring them to their ship, returned with his 
men to their own vessel. 

Shortly after this, he surrendered himself to 
the British East India Government. The gov 
ernment appointed a trial for him, but before the 
time for the trial came, he was taken with fever, 
from which he died after a few days^ sickness. 
Before his death, he made a full confession of the 
crimes of his past life, with the deepest peni- 
J:ence, and he died humbly trusting in Jesus, for 
the pardon of his sins, and for entrance into 
heaven. 

Now, here is a case in which the Good Shep- 
herd caused his voice to be heard, by a sheep 
that had wandered far, far away from his fold. 
That was in answer to a mother’s prayers. But 


THE SHEEP, 


57 


suppose that pirate had listened to the voice of 
the Good Shepherd when he was a boy in his 
mother^s home ; only think how different a life 
he would have lived on earth ! O how different 
a reward he would have in heaven ! My dear 
young friends — lambs in the fold of Jesus — O, 
listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd, now, 
and his blessing will follow you all your days. 
You will find it true, in the words of the hymn, 
that, 

“ will save you from a thousand snares, 

To mind religion young ; 

Grace will preserve your following years, 

And make your virtues strong.” 

The first thing which the Good Shepherd ex- 
pects us to do, is, to hear his voice. 0 pray God 
to help you to do this. 

But there is another thing which the Good 
Shepherd expects his sheep to do, and that is, 
to follow him. In our text, Jesus says, ^^My 
sheep hear my voice, and they follow me.^^ The 
sheep set us an example here, not only in hear- 
ing the Shepherd, but in obeying him. With us, 
in this country, when a shepherd wants his sheep 


58 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


to go from one place to another, he drives them 
before him. But it is different in the eastern 
countries. There, the shepherd calls to his 
sheep, and goes before them, and they know his 
voice and follow him. And here we may learn 
from the sheep one of the most important of all 
lessons. It will do us no good to hear the voice 
of Jesus, the heavenly Shepherd, unless we obey 
it by following Him. We read in the Bible, 
Blessed are they that hear the Word of 
God, and keep it,” or do it. Again we read. 
Blessed are they that do His command- 
ments, that they may have a right to the tree 
of life.” 

Here are some examples of following the 
Good Shepherd, as well as of hearing His voice. 
The first may be called — 

FORGOTTEN, YET NOT LOST. 

What a sermon we had last Sunday ! ” said 
n poor woman, who kept a small shop, to a cus- 
tomer, who came in to buy something during the 
week. 

What was the text ? ” asked her friend. 


THE SHEEP. 


59 


Indeed I can^t remember that/’ said the 
woman. 

Well, what was the sermon about ? ” was the 
next question. 

I can’t exactly tell that,” said the woman, 
but I know this, that the very first thing I did 
on coming home, was to bum up my bad bushel, 
and to throw away my short weights.” She had 
been cheating her customers by using false 
weights and measures. What she had heard 
in church that day, made her see and feel that 
this was wrong, and she made up her mind not 
to do so any more. That was following the voice 
of the Good Shepherd. 

Our next story may be called — 

RETUENINa GOOD FOR EVIL. 

I’ll pay him back again, see if I don’t,” said 
Willie Jackson, with a flushed and angry face, 
as he came running into the room where his 
mother sat sewing, one afternoon. 

And who are you going to pay back?” asked 
his mother. 

Why, Walter Jones, because he took my 


60 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


marbles, and ran away with them,” said Willie. 

Well, I hope you^ll pay him back in a good 
way,’^ said his mother. 

Willie hung down his head, and said nothing ; 
for he was ashamed to let his mother know of 
the mean way in which he thought of treating 
Walter. 

I am afraid you intend to act just as badly 
as Walter has done. Think better of it, my 
dear boy, and return good for evil. If you don’t 
forgive, you can’t ask to be forgiven.” 

Before going to bed that night, Willie kneeled 
down as usual by his mother’s side, to say his 
prayers. In closing with the Lord’s Prayer, 
when he came to the place where it says, For- 
give us our trespasses as we forgive those who 
trespass against us,” he stopped. 

Why don’t you go on ? ” asked his mother. 

I can’t,” said Willie, because I haven’t for- 
given Walter.” 

“ Then you had better ask J esus to help you 
to forgive him now,” said his mother. 

Willie did so. Then he finished the Lord’s 
Prayer, and went to bed, feeling very happy. 


THE SHEEP. 


61 


And in doing that, Willie was not only hear- 
ing the voice of the Good Shepherd, but was fol- 
lowing it, and this is what he expects us all to 
do. 

I have just one other story. We may call 
it — 

HOW A SUNDAY-SCHOOL BOY FOLLOWED JESUS. 

A poor old mother was going to visit her 
daughter, in the city of London, one evening, 
just about dark. She was carrying a bundle 
which was rather heavy for her. As she went 
on, a little boy came up to her, and said, Please, 
ma’am, may I carry that bundle for a penny ? 
I’m trying to earn a little money, for we have 
nothing to eat at home.” She let him carry it, 
and when they reached her daughter’s house it 
was quite dark. All the money she had in her 
pocket was half a crown and two pennies. An 
English penny and a half crown piece are both 
about the same size. And so, by mistake, the 
old mother gave the boy the half crown piece, 
instead of the penny. On going into the house, 
she found that her daughter had nothing for 


62 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


themselves or the children to eat. She gave her 
daughter the two pennies to get some bread for 
the children, and went to bed herself without 
any supper, but praying that God would send 
them something for the morrow. 

Early the next morning, there was a knock 
at the door. The daughter opened the door, 
and found a little boy standing there, who 
said : 

Didn’t I bring a bundle here last night, for 
an old lady ? ” 

Yes, you did.” 

Where is she ? ” 

Up-stairs.” 

Please ask her to come down, for I want to 
see her.” 

The old mother soon made her appearance, 
when the boy said : 

Please ma’am, do you know that you gave 
me a half-crown last night, instead of a penny ? 
Because you did, and here it is.” 

^^Well, my boy, I did just as you say, and I 
am very much obliged to you for bringing it 
back. But I would like to know how you came 


THE SHEEP. 


63 


to do this : for I thought you had nothing to eat 
at home/^ 

Yes, we are very had ofF,’^ said the boy, 
brightening up as he spoke ; but you see, I 
go to Sunday-school, and I love Jesus, and am 
trying to follow him, so you see, I can^t be dis- 
honest.^^ 

Yes, that boy was really hearing the voice 
of the Good Shepherd, and was following 
Him. 

Now, where is our text to-day ? John x. 27. 
What are the words of the text ? I am the 
Good Shepherd : My sheep hear My voice and 
they follow me.^^ What is the sermon about % 
The Good Shepherd and his sheep. How many 
questions did we have to answer ? Two. What 
was the first ? What the Good Shepherd does 
for His sheep. How many things did we 
speak of ? Two. What are these % He pro- 
tects them^ and provides for them. 

And what was the other question we consid- 
ered ? What the Good Shepherd expects His 
sheep to do for Him ? He expects them to hear 
His voice, and to follow Him. 


64 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


And now, in closing this service, let us all 
lift up our hearts to Jesus, and saj, each one 
for himself or herself : Oh, Thou Good Shep- 
herd, teach me to hear Thy voice, and to follow 
Thee!” 


III. 


THE CAMEL. 

The cameV’ — Leviticus xi. 4. 

In going on with our study of Bible Natural 
History, the next animal that we take up is 
the camel. We never hear of the camel in a 
wild state, but only know of it as a tame and 
useful animal. 

The first mention made of it in the Bible, is 
in the time of Abraham. We are told that, 
Abraham had sheep, and oxen, and asses, and 
camels.” And camels formed a large part of the 
wealth of the people who lived in the East, at 
the time when the Bible was written. This is 
clear when we are told about Job — that, he 

had six thousand camels.” The camels were 
used by the Eastern people both for bearing 

burdens, and also for travelling purposes. 

6 (65) 


66 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


There are two kinds of camels spoken of 5 
one is called the common camel, and has but one 
hump on its back ; the other is called the Bac- 
trian Camel, and this has two humps. The camel 
stands about six feet high up to its shoulders. 
Its strength is such that it can carry a burden 
of from five to six, and even to eight hundred 
pounds. And its ability to do this is one of the 
chief things that help to make it so useful to the 
people of the countries in which it is found. 
And in studying the history of the camel, we 
may learn two lessons. One of these is about 
an interesting truth ; the other is about an im- 
portant duty. 

The interesting truth that we are taught hy the 
camel is about — the goodness of God. 

We see this illustration in the wonderful way 
in which the camel has been prepared by God 
for usefulness among the people who have to 
travel through the great deserts of Arabia, 
Egypt, and Africa. In those countries they 
have been called, the ships of the desert.^’ 
And they may well be so called : because the 
people of those countries could no more travel 


The Camel.’* 




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THE CAMEL, 


67 


over their great deserts without camels, than we 
could travel over our oceans without ships. 
And the wonderful way in which God has pre- 
pared the camels to bear the hardships they 
hsLve to meet, in journeying through the deserts, 
affords us a striking illustration of His goodness. 

We see this in several things about the camel. 
For one thing, we see this in the feet of the 
camel. If they had hard hoofs, like those of 
the horse or the cow, they would be unfitted for 
travelling through the deserts. The hot sand 
would make their feet sore ; and at every step 
taken, they would sink deep into the sand. 
But the feet of the camel are covered with hard 
flesh and a tough skin, which acts like a cushion 
and keeps it from sinking into the softest sand 
over which it has to travel j while neither the 
heat of the sand, nor the sharp stones often 
mingled with it, vTill do them any harm. This 
is a proof of God^s goodness. 

And then, the knees of the camel, as well as 
its feet, show the same thing. The camel 
stands so high that when the load has to be put 
on its back, or taken off, it is necessary for it to 


68 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


kneel down. And in doing this so constantly, 
unless its knees were especially protected, the 
hot sand on which it kneels, and the sharp 
stones, found among it, would make the camel so 
lame, that it would he unable to walk. But 
God has furnished the knees of the camel with 
something just like a tough pad or cushion, so 
that it can kneel as often as may be desired, 
without receiving any injury, either from the 
sand or stones. 

And we see the goodness of God again, in the 
way in which He has arranged the stomach of 
the camel. It has one stomach, just like that of 
any other animal, which receives the water it 
drinks and the food it eats, and digests them. 
But then, in addition to this, the camel has a 
second stomach, which is like a water vessel, 
stowed away, back of its other stomach. This 
will hold from 10 to 12 gallons of water. When 
the camel is about starting on a journey, it will 
drink as much as it needs, to quench its thirst at 
the time. Then it will drink on until its other 
stomach is filled with water. And with this as 
its supply, it will start on its journey, and travel 


THE CAMEL. 


69 


on for four or five days, over the huming sands 
of the desert, without ever caring for another 
drink. 

And then there is another thing about the 
camel, which illustrates the goodness of God, and 
that is th-e hump upon its back. This hump is 
made up of a fatty sort of substance. And in 
travelling over the desert, when the camel is 
not able to get the food it needs, in any other 
way, it falls back on what this hump contains, 
and finds its support in that. How wonderful 
this is ! 

And we find similar illustrations of God’s good- 
ness in connection with other animals. I will 
only speak now of one of these, and that is — the 
surprising way in which God provides for the 
protection of young deer. The deer have young 
ones every year. These, in their wild state, are 
surrounded by dogs, and wolves, and bears, 
which love to prey upon them. And the rea- 
son why the deer are not all destroyed, while 
they are young,” says an old Canadian hunter, — 
^^is that no dog, or wolf, or other animal, can 
smell the track of the deer, while they are too 


70 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


young to take care of themselves. I have often 
seen this proved/’ said the hunter — by facts 
which cannot be denied. I have taken my dogs 
to the place where I have seen young deer pass 
by, not more than half an hour before, and they 
were utterly unable to follow their track, by the 
scent, or smell, of the young creatures. But if I 
take my dogs to the place where I had seen an 
old deer pass, half a day before, they would in- 
stantly smell the track, and follow it.” How 
strikingly this illustrates the goodness of God ! 
For if the dogs and wolves could follow the track 
of the young deer as easily as they do that of the 
older ones, there would soon be an end of th'e 
deer, for the young ones would be all destroyed. 
This is a striking illustration of the goodness of 
God. And when we think of it, we may take 
up David’s words, and say : ^^0 praise the 
Lord for his goodness ! ” 

And I suppose we can all remember some- 
thing connected with our own experience, which 
illustrates the goodness of God, in reference to 
ourselves, personally. I remember one such 
incident in my own history. I am not in the 


THE CAMEL. 


71 


habit of speaking of myself in these sermons, but 
I must ask to be excused for doing so now. 
There is an incident connected with my experi- 
ence, when I was a little boy, which may come 
in very well to illustrate the goodness of God. 

I was born in Liverpool, England. One day, 
when I was about six years old, as I was going 
home from school, there was quite an excitement 
in the street. It happened that a bull had been 
taken into a slaughter-house. In that neighbor- 
hood, to be killed. They had fastened a rope 
around his horns, in the usual way. This rope 
was then put through an iron ring in the floor of 
the slaughter-house, the bulPs head was drawn 
down to the floor, and a man standing by, hit it 
a heavy blow with an axe which he held in his 
hands. It generally happened that the blow 
thus given would cause the animal to fall to the 
ground, when he would be slaughtered. But in 
this case it was not so. The blow of the axe, in- 
stead of killing the bull, or of knocking him 
down, only made him angry. He gave a violent 
jerk, which broke the rope that bound him, and 
he ran off into the street. Then he went racing 


72 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


along the street as fast as he could go, swinging 
his tail about, and bellowing as loudly as he 
could. This made a great excitement. I re- 
membered to have seen men go out into the 
middle of the street, when a horse was running 
away, and stop him by standing before him and 
swinging round their arms. Then I thought I 
would try and stop that bull in the same way. 
So I went out into the middle of the street when 
the bull was coming near, and tried to stop him 
by swinging round my arms, as I had seen the 
men do. But the bull never minded me at all. 
He came bellowing on. When he got quite near 
to me, I turned and ran away from him. After 
running a little while, I looked round to see how 
near he was to me. But just as my head was 
turned toward him, he struck me on the forehead 
with one of his horns. This knocked me down 
on the ground. Then he took hold of my jacket 
and tore it off, and went on his way. The bull’s 
horn struck my forehead about an inch above 
my left eye. If the horn had struck me an inch 
lower, it would have gone through my eye into 
the brain, and would have killed me. The mark 


THE CAMEL. 


73 


of that wound is here on my forehead now. It 
has been there all my life. And when in shav- 
ing, or brushing my hair, I stand before the 
looking-glass and see that mark, it makes me 
think of the goodness of God in preserving my 
life when I was a little boy. 

And then, we have illustrations of His good- 
ness all around us. Look at the beautiful green 
color of the grass which covers the fields, and 
of the lovely blue that mantles the sky ; we see 
the goodness of God in these, for green and blue 
are the pleasantest colors that we can look upon. 
Suppose that the trees of the forest, and the 
grass of the fields, were always as white as snow, 
and that the color of the sky was a blazing red, 
or scarlet, how trying it would be for us to have 
to gaze on them when the noonday sun was shin- 
ing! How good it was in God to make the fields 
green, and the sky blue ! And as we walk about 
in the country, everything that we meet with, 
tells us that God is good. 

God is good ! Each perfumed flower, 

The smiling field, the dark green wood, 

The inseet, fluttering for an hour, — 

All things proclaim that God is good. 


74 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


I hear it in the rushing wind, 

Hills that have for ages stood, 

And clouds, with gold and silver lined, 

Are still repeating, God is good. 

Each little rill, that many a year 
Has the same verdant path pursued, 

And every bird, in accents clear, 

Joins in the song that God is good. 

The restless sea, with haughty roar. 

Calms each wild wave and billow rude, 

Retreats submissive from the shore, 

And swells the chorus, God is ^ood. 

The countless hosts of burning stars. 

Sing His praise with light renewed ; 

The rising sun each day declares, 

In rays of glory, God is good. 

The moon, that walks in brightness, says, 

God is good. And man, endued 

With power to speak his Maker’s praise. 

Should still repeat that, ** God is good.” 

And God is so full of goodness that even when 
He sends trials upon His people, He sends them 
for their good. Here is an illustration of this. 

We may call it — 

/ 

THE GOODNESS OF GOD IN AFFLICTION. 

A Sunday-school teacher had a moveable 
alphabet, which he used in his class to spell out 


THE CAMEL, 


75 


tKe most important truth taught in the lesson 
they were studying. One day, the lesson which 
he wished them to remember, was this, The 
Lord is good to all.’’ He spelled this out with 
his letters, and then asked each scholar to repeat 
it. One little fellow in the class refused to re- 
peat it. The teacher asked him his reason for 
doing this. He said, don’t want to repeat 
that, because it’s not true. God is not good to 
father or me. He has taken my little brother 
away, and father is at home crying about it.” 
The teacher explained to him that God had 
taken his little brother away not in anger, but in 
love. He had taken him to that bright heavenly 
home, which he was preparing for all His people. 

And now, my dear boy,” said the teacher, if 
you and your father, only learn to love and 
serve Jesus, He will take you to meet your 
brother there, and be happy with him forever.” 
The little. boy said, ^^Oh ! let me go and tell my 
father about that ! ” Then he ran home and told 
his father what the teacher had said. And the 
end of it was that the boy and his father were 
both led to seek the Saviour, and became Chris- 


76 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


tians. And then they saw and felt, that even 
the affliction which had come upon them in the 
loss of that dear son and brother, God had sent 
in His goodness. 

And so we may well feel interested in study- 
ing the camel, because it illustrates for us the 
important truth of the goodness of God. 

There is one passage in our Saviour^s life, in 
which he speaks of the camel, in a way that is 
not generally understood, and which it may 
therefore be well to speak of here. 

One day a man came to Jesus, and asked 
what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus 
referred him to the commandments. The man 
said that he had kept all these from his youth. 
Then Jesus, knowing him to be a rich man, said 
to him, Go and sell that thou hast, and give to 
the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, 
and come and follow me.^^ But when the young 
man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful ; 
for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said, 
how hardly shall they that have riches enter 
into the kingdom of heaven. Again I say unto 
you. It is easier for a camel to go through the 


THE CAMEL. 


77 


eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into 
the kingdom of heaven.^^ Now, if we regard our 
Saviour as speaking literally here, of an ordi- 
nary needle, then we must consider Him as 
teaching that it is utterly impossible for a rich 
man ever to enter heaven. But this is not so. 
For we know that there are some rich men, who 
are earnest, faithful Christians, and who are 
sure to go to heaven. What Jesus meant to 
teach us, when he used these words, was that 
riches bring so many temptations to those who 
have them, as to make it very hard for them to 
get to heaven. Jesus used the words, the eye 
of a needle,’’ not in a literal, but a figurative 
sense. In the eastern cities, they used to have 
in their gates small low openings, which were 
called needle’s eyes,” just as we are accustom- 
ed to call certain small wdndows, bull’s eyes.” 
If a camel had to go through one of those small 
openings, the load would have to be taken off 
from his back : he would have to get down on 
his knees, and even then, he would find it very 
hard w^ork to get through. Still it would be a 
possible thing for a camel to do, just as it is pos- 


78 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


sible for a rich man to enter heaven. This is 
what Jesus meant when he spoke about a camel 
going through the eye of a needle. 

And now we come to the other lesson which the 
camel illustrates, and that is the lesson OF patient 

INDUSTRY. 

The life of the camel was a hard and laborious 
one. It had to carry, every day, as we have 
said before, a burden of from five to six, or even 
eight hundred pounds weight. And with this 
heavy burden on its back, it would have to 
travel on at the rate of two a-half or three miles 
an hour. This would be continued every day, 
from twelve to sixteen, or even twenty hours a 
day. And to go steadily on, working in this 
way for twenty or twenty-five years, was cer- 
tainly to set before us an excellent example of 
patient industry. 

There was one kind of camel called the drom- 
edary, which was used not so much for carrying 
burdens, as for travelling on, just as we use our 
horses. These camels will journey on at the rate 
of eight or ten miles an hour. And we are told 
on good authority, that sometimes these camels 


THE CAMEL. 


79 


have been known to travel on at this rate for 
fifty hours at a time, thus making a journey of 
five hundred miles without stopping. This 
seems almost impossible, and yet we are assured 
that it is even so. And if our young people 
could all be persuaded to practice this lesson of 
patient industry, so strikingly illustrated by the 
camel, what a wonderful effect it would have on 
their success in life ! Now let us look at some 
examples of those who have gone on through life 
practicing this lesson of patient industry, and see 
what results have followed from it. 

Here is a good illustration of this part of our 
subject. We may call it — 

WHAT A BOY DID. 

About two hundred and sixty years ago, a 
poor lad of seventeen was seen travelling on foot 
in the south of England. He carried over his 
shoulder, at the end of a stick, all the clothing 
he had in the world, and in his pocket he had a 
few pieces of money, which his mother had 
given him on parting. This boy^s name was 
John. He was the son of poor, but pious par- 


80 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


ents, and he had six brothers and five sisters, 
who all had to work hard for a living. He was 
a Christian boj, and finding he could not get 
work near home, with his parents^ consent, he 
had set out to seek employment elsewhere. 

The first place at which he stopped was the 
city of Exeter. Here he could not find anything 
to do, but when he saw the beautiful Exeter 
Cathedral, and the great library belonging to the 
Dean of the Cathedral, he made up his mind that 
he would try to be a scholar. Then he set out 
for the city of Oxford, which was one of the 
most famous places of learning in England. 
This city was two hundt*ed miles from the city 
of Exeter, where he was staying. He had to 
walk all the way. Sometimes he slept in bams, 
or on the sheltered side of a haystack. He lived 
chiefly on bread and water, with an occasional 
drink of milk. 

When he arrived at the splendid city of Ox- 
ford, his clothing was nearly worn out, and very 
dusty. His feet were sore ; he was a stranger 
there, and felt very much discouraged, for he 
knew not what to do. 


THE CAMEL, 


81 


He had heard of Exeter College, Oxford, and 
went there to see if he could get any work to do. 
To his great delight they engaged him to carry 
fuel into the kitchen, to clean pans and kettles, 
and do that sort of work. 

Here, while doing his humble work, he was 
often seen with a book near him, which he 
would read and study in his leisure moments. 

His fondness for reading and study soon en- 
gaged the attention of the gentlemen connected 
with the college. They admitted him into the 
institution on a free scholarship, and made pro- 
vision for his support. 

He studied hard, and was soon at the head of 
his class. He graduated with honor, became a 
minister of Christ, a great scholar, a bishop, and 
one of the most useful men in the Church of 
England. He is well known in history as the 
Rt. Rev. John Prideaux, D.D. But it was the 
blessing of God on his patient industry, which 
raised that poor boy to the high position of honor 
and usefulness which he occupied. 

Our next story may be called — 

6 


82 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


STICK TO YOUR BUSH. 

This story was told by a successful business 
man, who said that he owed all his success in life 
to the lesson which this story taught him. 

One day, when I was a lad,^’ said he, a 
party of boys and girls from our school were go- 
ing into the country to pick huckleberries. I 
asked my father if I might go with them, and 
was delighted when he gave his consent. I got 
my basket, and was going out of the gate, when 
my father called me back. 

He took hold of my hand, and said very kind- 
ly to me, Joseph, my boy, what are you going 
for, to pick berries or to play f 
To pick berries, I replied. 

Then, Joseph,’^ said he, want to tell you 
one thing. It is this 5 when you find a nice good 
bush, don^t leave it to try and find a better one. 
The other boys and girls will run about, picking 
one or two berries here, and one or two there, 
wasting a great deal of time, but getting very 
few berries. If you do as they do, you will 
come back with an empty basket. If you want 


THE CAMEL, 


83 


to get berries, the thing for you to do is, to stich 
to your 

I went with the party, said the gentleman, 
and we had a splendid time. But it was just 
as my father said. No sooner had one of the 
boys foimd a good bush, than he called to his 
companions, and they would leave their places, 
and run off to see what he had found. Not con- 
tent more than a minute or two in any one 
place, they would ramble over the whole pasture, 
getting very tired, and at night they had very 
few berries. My father^s words kept ringing in 
my ears, and I ^ stuck to my bush.^ When I 
had done with one, I found another, and finished 
that, and then I took another. When night 
came, I had a large basket full of nice berries, 
more than all of the others put together, and I 
was not half as tired as they were. 

I went home very happy that night, and 
when father looked at my basket full of ripe 
berries, he said : ‘ Well done, Joseph. You 

see it was just as I told you. Always stick to 
your bush.' 

Not long after that my father died, and then 


84 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


I had to make my own way in the world as best 
I could. But my father’s words sank deep into 
my mind, and I never forgot the lesson taught me 
by that huckleberry party. I always stuck to 
my bush. 

When I had a fair place, and was doing 
reasonably well, I was not willing to leave it, 
and spend days and weeks in trying to find 
a better place. When other young men would 
say : ^ Come with us, and we will find some- 

thing better to do ! ’ I shook my head, and 
^ stuck to my bush.’ 

After a while, my employers took me into 
partnership with them in their business. I 
stayed with that firm until the old partners died, 
and then I took their place. The habit of 
sticking to my business gave people confidence 
in me, and led to my success. I owe all I have 
and am to the lesson my father taught me when 
he said : ‘ Stick to your hush.’ ” 

And the lesson, wrapped up in these words, is 
just what we are now considering, the lesson 
oi patient industry taught us by the camel. 

Now let us glance at the history of some of 


THE CAMEL. 


85 


the Presidents of the United States, and we 
shall find plenty of illustrations of the lesson we 
are now studying. 

John Adams, our second President, was the 
son of a farmer of very moderate means. He 
never would have reached that high office, if he 
had not learned and joracticed the lesson of 
patient industry. 

Andrew J ackson was born in a log hut in 
North Carolina, and was raised in the pine 
woods, for which that State is famous. The 
thing that made him President was the patient 
industry with which he improved his oppor- 
tunities. 

James K. Polk spent the early part of his life 
in helping to dig out a living from a farm in 
North Carolina. He was afterwards a clerk in a 
country store. It was patient industry which 
made him President. 

Millard Fillmore was the ,son of a New York 
farmer, and his home was a very humble one. 
He learned the business of a clothier. How did 
he become President ? It was by patient in- 
dustry. 


86 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


James Buchanan was born in a small town 
among the Alleghany mountains. His father 
cut the logs, and built his own house, in what 
was then a wilderness. What made James 
Buchanan President ? It was patient industry 
that did it. 

Abraham Lincoln was the son of a very poor 
Kentucky farmer. He lived in a log cabin 
till he was twenty-one years of age. What led 
him from that humble log-cabin in the woods of 
Kentucky, to the White House at Washing- 
ton ? Patient industry. 

Andrew Jackson was apprenticed to a tailor 
at ten years of age, by his widowed mother. 
He was never able to attend school. All the 
education he ever had was what he picked up 
in the evening hours after his day^s work was 
done. How did he ever manage to become 
President ? It was by patient industry. 

Ulysses S. Grant was bom in humble life. 
He lived in a poor house on the banks of the 
Ohio river until he was seventeen years old. 
What was it, then, which made him one of 
the greatest Generals the world has known, 


THE CAMEL, 


87 


and afterwards President of the United States ? 

Patient industry did it. 

James A. Garfield was bom in a log cabin. 
As soon as he was able to do anything, he work- 
ed on a farm. Then he learned the trade of a 
carpenter. After this he worked on the canal. 
What led that canal boy to become President of 
the United States ? Patient industry did it. 

And if we look away from the history of our 
Presidents, and read the lives of men who have 
been distinguished in different pursuits of life, all 
round the world, we shall find among them all 
illustrations of the important lesson we are now 
considering. There is Demosthenes, the great 
orator, and Julius Caesar, the great warrior, and 
Henry the Fourth of France, the great ruler, 
and Lord Bacon, and Sir Isaac Newton, the 
great philosophers, and Benjamin Franklin, and 
George Washington, and Napoleon Bonaparte, 
These men were very different from each other 
in many respects, but yet there was one thing in 
which they were all alike. They all learned and 
practiced the lesson of patient industry. And it~ 
was to this they owed their greatness. 


88 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


I will finish this pr.rt of our subject by quot- 
ing some simple, practical lines, which embrace 
all that I have been trying to say about the 
lesson which the camel teaches us. They are- 
called : 

LITTLE BY LITTLE. 

One step, and then another, 

And the longest -walk is ended ; 

One stitch, and then another. 

And the largest rent is mended ; 

One brick upon another, 

And the highest wall is made ; 

One flake upon another, 

And the deepest snow is laid. 

So the little coral workers. 

By their slow but constant motion, 

Have built those pretty islands 
In the distant dark-blue ocean ; 

And the noblest undertakings 
Man’s wisdom hath conceived, 

By oft-repeated efforts. 

Have been patiently achieved. 

Then do not be disheartened 
O’er the work you have to do. 

And say that such a mighty task 
You never can get through ; 


THE CAMEL. 


89 


But just endeavor, day by day, 

Another point to gain. 

And soon the mountain that you feared. 
Will prove to be a plain. 


Rome was not builded in a day,” 

The ancient proverb teaches; 

And Nature, by her trees and flowers. 
The same sweet sermon preaches. 
Think not of far-off duties. 

But of duties which are near ; 

And having once begun to work, 
Tlesolve to persevere. 


What is our sermon about to-day ? 

The Camel. How many lessons do we learn 
from the camel? Two. What is the first? An 
interesting truth about the goodness of God. 
What is the second ? An important lesson about 
patient industry. 

There are two things this sermon should lead 
us to do. The first is to thank God for the illus- 
trations of His goodness here furnished. The 
other is to pray for grace that we may be able to 
learn and practice the important lesson of patient 
industry here taught us. 


IV. 


THE HORSE. 

Hast thou given the horse strength f ” — ^JoB xxxix. 19. 

The horse is the next of the Bible animals that 
we wish to consider. What a noble-looking 
creature the horse is ! With its strong and well- 
proportioned limbs, its arched neck, its intelli- 
gent head, its fine long tail, it presents a very 
pleasing and graceful appearance. And the 
horse is a very sensible creature. Here is an 
incident which illustrates very well this point of 
the horse’s character. We may call it — 

THE GOOD SENSE OF A HORSE. 

A gentleman named Mr. Andrews, residing in 
California, had a span of bright little horses, to 
which he was very much attached. He never 

separated them. In the stable, the field, and the 
(90) 



p. 90, 


“Hast Thou given the Horse Strength?” 







I • 

■» # . 


.* 










t 



I 



THE HORSE. 


91 


harness, they were always together. This caused 
a strong attachment to grow between the horses. 
On one occasion he took some friends, in his car- 
riage drawn by these horses, to a lake, not very 
far from his dwelling, on a fishing excursion. 
Taking the horses out of the carriage, he led 
them to the border of the lake, and tied them to 
two trees, a few rods apart, that they might feed 
on the grass that grew around them. Then he 
went into a shantee near by, and sat down to 
wait for the return of his friends, who were 
fishing. 

He had not been waiting long, before he heard 
the sound of a horse’s feet approaching the shan- 
tee. The next moment he saw one of his horses, 
standing at the door. The animal put his head 
in and gave a loud neigh, and then turned round 
and galloped back towards the spot where his 
master had left him and his companion fastened 
safely to the trees. 

Surprised at finding his horse loose, and at his 
singular conduct, Mr. Andrews immediately went 
after him. On reaching the spot where he had 
left the horses, he was surprised to see the other 


92 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


horse in the water, entangled in the rope which 
had fastened him to the tree, and trying hard to 
keep his head above the water. Mr. Andrews 
at once took hold of the rope, released the horse 
from it, and led him out of the water. While 
he was doing this, the other horse stood by, 
watching what was going on with the greatest 
interest. And when he saw that his companion 
was safe on dry land, he seemed greatly pleased. 
He went jumping round his master, shaking his 
head and wagging his tail, as if he was trying to 
say, I am very much obliged to you, sir, for 
saving my companion from drowning. Now, 
there are several things worth noticing in the 
conduct of this horse. Think of his readiness to 
notice the trouble his companion was in, the 
effort he must have made to break the strong 
rope that bound him to the tree, the good sense 
he showed in going at once for his master, to 
come and save the life of his companion f and 
then the way in which he tried to show his grat- 
itude to his master, for the ready kindness he 
had shown. All this is very interesting in that 
horse. And an animal that can act in this way, 


THE HORSE. 


93 


deserves our careful study and our kindest treat- 
ment. 

Horses are wild in some countries, but they 
are all tame with us. In the times when the 
Bible was written, horses were not used for rid- 
ing on, and for bearing burdens, as we use them 
now. They were then employed chiefly for war- 
like purposes. And it is of a war-horse that God 
is speaking, in the book of Job, when He gives 
this remarkable description of it : 

^^Hast thou given the horse strength? hast 
thou clothed his neck with thunder ? Canst 
thou make him afraid of a grasshopper? The 
gbry of his nostrils is terrible. He paweth in 
the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength ; he go- 
eth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at 
fear, and is not affrighted ; neither turneth he 
back from the sword. The quiver rattleth 
against him, the glittering spear and the shield. 
He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and 
rage *, neither believeth he that it is the sound 
of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets. 
Aha ! aha ! he smelleth the battle afar off, the 
thunder of the captains, and the shoutings.’^ 


94 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


The subject of our sermon to-day will be, the 
lessons taught us hy the horse. And in studying 
the natural history of the horse, we can easily 
find illustrations of four lessons. The first of 
these is the lesson of courage. 

We may find horses that have courage about 
some things, but not about others. At our home 
on Chestnut Hill, we have a nice gentle horse, 
that we call Dolly. She is not afraid of locomo- 
tives. When standing near the railway depot, 
a train of cars may come thundering along, with 
the engine snorting and puffing ever so loud, and 
she will not mind it at all, but will stand per- 
fectly still. Yet, if she is going along the turn- 
pike, and sees a piece of white paper lying on 
the road, or two or three sheep coming towards 
her, she will get frightened, and want to rim 
away. But it is in battle, as a war-horse, that 
this animal shows its courage. God^s description 
of it, in the book of Job, which we have already 
quoted, refers to the horse in battle. And the 
lesson of courage which the horse teaches us, is 
a very important one for us to learn. God is 
helping us to learn this lesson when He says to 


THE HORSE, 


95 


US, nearly a hundred times in the Bible, Fear 
not.’^ And over and over again, God tells us 
to be strong, and of a good courage.’^ Let us 
look at one or two illustrations of the usefulness 
of courage. Our first story may be called — 

A HERO. 

Freddie Jones was a bright, intelligent boy, 
about ten years old. On coming home from 
school one afternoon, he went into the sitting- 
room, where his Aunt Margaret was busy sew- 
ing, and began to read a book on history, in 
which he was very much interested. After 
reading awhile, he laid down the book, and said. 
Auntie, if I were only a general, I think I 
should be very happy.^^ 

Are you not happy now?” asked his aunt. 

Oh, yes ; but I long to be a hero. It seems 
like something grand to be a hero. Don^t you 
think so. Auntie ? ” 

Yes,” said Aunt Margaret. I admire a 
hero. Shall I tell you how you may become a 
hero now — a boy hero — which I think is nobler 
far even than being a general ? ” 


96 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Yes/^ said Freddie, eagerly ; do tell me.” 

It is by learning to be master of yourself. 
Do not give way to anger, or any wicked feel- 
ing. Never allow yourself to do what you know 
is wrong. The Bible says, ^He that is slow 
to anger is better than the mighty, and he that 
ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.^ 
Think of this, and when tempted to do wrong, 
have courage to stand up for the right, and you 
will be a greater hero than Alexander, or Caesar, 
or Napoleon.” 

Our other story may be called — 

A BRAVE BOY. 

One morning, when some boys were going to 
a school in the country, they saw one of their 
schoolmates driving a cow into a neighboring 
field. He opened the gate, saw her safely in, 
and then closing it, went into school with the 
rest of them. After school he let the cow out, 
and drove her off; and every day for two or 
three weeks, he kept on doing the same. He 
had never done this before. The boys could not 
understand what it meant, and they made all 


THE HORSE. 


97 


sorts of fun of their companion, whose name was 
James Watson. One of the boys named Jack- 
son, whose father was the richest man in that 
part of the country, used to lead off in this sport. 

One morning when they saw him driving the 
cow, Jackson cried out : 

Holloa, Jim ! what’s the price of milk to- 
day ? Is your father going to make a milkman 
of you ? ” 

Why not ? ” asked Jim. 

0, nothing. Only don’t leave much water 
in the cans after you rinse them — that’s all.” 

The boys laughed at Jim j but without being 
the least disturbed, he simply said : 

Never fear. If I should ever rise to be a 
milkman. I’ll give good measure, and good milk 
too.” 

The day after this conversation, there was a 
public examination' in the school to which these 
boys belonged. A number of ladies and gentle- 
men from the neighborhood were present. 
Prizes were awarded by the Principal of the 
school, and the two boys spoken of, Watson and 

Jackson, received the highest prizes for attend- 
7 


98 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


ance and scholarship. After this was over, the 
Principal said there was one prize of a gold 
medal to be awarded, which is not often given : 
because the conduct which it is intended to re- 
ward is not often met with. This medal is a 
reward for courage. And now,’^ said he, I 
have a story to tell about a brave boy who de- 
serves this medal, and is going to receive it.” 

This story will explain about Watson and the 
cow ; listen to it. 

Not long ago,” said the Principal, some 
boys were flying a kite in the street, just as a 
poor boy rode by on horseback, on his way to 
the mill. The horse took fright and threw the 
boy oiF, who was so badly hurt that he was 
carried home, and confined to bed for several 
weeks. None of the boys who caused the trouble 
went to inquire about the wounded lad j but an- 
other boy, who saw the accident from a dis- 
tance, not only went to make inquiries, but 
offered to help. 

He learned that the wounded boy was the 
grandson of a poor widow, whose only support 
was the milk of a cow, which she owned. This 


THE HORSE, 


99 


wounded boy had been in the habit of driving 
her cow to pasture and back. 

^ But now he is helpless, what shall I do ? ^ 
asked the poor widow. 

^ Never mind, good woman,^ said the boy 
who had called. ^ I will drive the cow for you 
till Willie, your grandson, gets well again.^ 

But this good boy^s kindness did not stop 
here. When he found that the widow needed 
money to get medicine for her wounded grand- 
son, he said : ^ I have some money which my 
mother gave me to buy a pair of boots with. 
You can have this, and I will do without the 
boots for awhile.’ 

^ No,’ said the old woman ; ^ I can’t consent 
to that. But here is a pair of heavy boots that 
I bought for Willie, who can’t wear them now- 
If you will only buy these, we can get on 
nicely.’ 

^^The boy took the boots, clumsy as they were, 
and has worn them ever since. 

Well, when the other boys in the school found 
out that one of their companions was driving a 
cow every day, they laughed, and jeered, and 


100 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


made all sorts of fun of him. His great, clumsy, 
cowhide boots were a special object of their 
mirth. But never minding what his schoolmates 
did or said, the noble boy went bravely on, and 
kept his promise, till the wounded grandson of 
the poor widow was well again. 

Now, ladies and gentlemen, I appeal to you, 
if there was not true courage in that boy^s con- 
duct ? It was only yesterday, by mere accident, 
that I found out about the kindness and the 
courage of this boy. James Watson, the boy of 
whom I am speaking, will please come forward.^’ 

Covered with blushes, James stepped modestly 
forward. The Principal put the gold medal round 
his neck ; and then loud cheers burst forth from 
all present, that made the school-house ring again. 

When the exercises were over, the scholars, 
who had made fun of James, came forward, and 
begged his pardon, and felt proud to have him 
as their friend. 

That boy was a real hero. And if we learn 
to follow his example, we shall all be heroes 
too. The first lesson illustrated by the horse is 
the lesson of courage. 


THE HORSE. 


101 


The second lesson we may learn from the horscj 
is — THE LESSON OF DOCILITY. 

This is a harder word than I like to use. I 
tried to find a simpler word for it, but did not 
succeed. Yet it can easily be explained, so that 
any member of the infant school can understand 
it. Docility means — a readiness to learn. 
Horses are very ready to learn, and in this they 
teach us the lesson of docility. God has sent us 
into this world, that we may learn to know, and 
do his will. And he has given us the Bible, with 
its great truths : the Church, with its ministers 
and services, and the Sunday-school, with teach- 
ers to help us in learning this lesson, which it is 
so important for us to know. And the horse 
sets us a good example here, in its docility, or 
readiness to learn. Here are some illustrations 
of this. The first may be called — 

PROF. Bartholomew’s horses, and what they 

LEARNED. 

These horses were on exhibition in Boston 
some time ago. And the lessons of which I am 
now to tell, were taught the horses by kindness, 


i02 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


and the performance of them was witnessed by 
thousands of people. Here are some of the les- 
sons, which these horses would go through, at 
the word of their teacher. 

A number of horses are brought on the stage. 
Each of them, when his name ^is called, goes to 
the front of the stage, makes his bow to the au- 
dience, and then retires. 

Next a horse is brought on the stage, and 
stands there. The Professor says to him, Get 
me my pocket handkerchief.^^ He goes directly to 
a desk, opens it, and brings the Professor his 
handkerchief. 

Another horse comes on the stage, and when 
told what to do, he takes a sponge, goes up to a 
blackboard, and rubs out the figures on it. 

Another horse is brought on the* stage, and 

4 

there, just as he is told, marches slowly, trots or 
runs, and then walks ofi*. 

Another horse comes out, and walks round so 
as to make the figure 8, by turning to the right 
hand, or to the left, just as he is told to do. 

Then four horses are brought out, for a game 
of leap frog. They stand in a line, one behind 


THE HORSE, 


103 


the other. Another horse comes out, he stands 
still for a moment, and at the word of command 
he leaps over the first horse from right to left, 
then over the second from left to right, and over 
the others in the same way. 

Then two horses appeared, and when told to 
do so, they mounted a plank, and played see-saw 
as nicely as any two boys could have done. 

Then a set of twelve horses came out, and went 
through drill, just as a company of soldiers would 
do. These different commands were given them 
and were instantly obeyed : march, counter- 
march, to the right, to the left, form a hollow 
square, attack the fort, fire a cannon (this they 
pretended to do, by snapping with their teeth), 
and finally, capture the enemies^ flag, and pass 
it round to each other. All this was done. 

But their last performance was the most curi- 
ous of all. This was a scene in court which 
they had been taught to imitate. 

A horse, charged with murder, was brought in 
as a prisoner in chains. A jury of twelve 
horses was formed to try the prisoner. A don- 
key was brought out to act as judge. Professor 


104 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


B. made a charge to the jury, telling them what 
the evidence had been for, and against the 
prisoner. Then the jury retired to another 
room. Presently they returned. One of them 
had a piece of paper in his mouth, on which 
some person, in the other room, had written the 
words, Not guilty This was passed from one 
to the other. The last juryman handed it to the 
donkey judge. He handed it to Professor B., 
who took it, and read out the verdict, Not 
guilty.’^ Then he told one of the horses, that 
was acting as sheriff, to take off the prisoner’s 
chains, and let him go free, which was done at 
once. 

This hardly seems possible 5 yet it is true. 
These things were done over and over again 
in the city of Boston, as thousands of people 
there can testify. 

Now surely these horses illustrate the lesson 
of docility. They were ready to learn. And 
this is one of the most important lessons for us 
to learn. 

I have just one other story here. We may 
call it — 


THE HORSE. 


105 


WHAT DOCILITY, OR READINESS TO LEARN, DID 
FOR A BOY. 

This story of himself was told by a New York 
merchant to a frieild : 

My father died/^ said he, when I was a 
little boy about ten years old. He had failed in 
business a little while before his death, and left 
his family poor. There were five children, of 
whom I was the oldest. Mother had to struggle 
very hard for our support, and I made up my 
mind to do what I could to help her. I first 
tried to get a situation in a store, but did not 
succeed in that. Then I tried selling news- 
papers. One evening I jumped on a car, and 
called out my papers in the best way I could. 
A gentleman, who was just going to get out, 
called to me : ^ Here, my boy, I want a 

paper.’ I gave him one. He put the pay for it 
into my hand, and stepped out of the car. As 
soon as he was gone, I looked at what he had 
given me, and found that instead of a two cent 
piece, it was a two dollar and a half gold piece. 
I had never had so much money in my hand. 


106 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


at one time, before, and it made me feel very- 
strange. As soon as the car stopped, I jumped 
off, and ran home as fast as I could, and showed 
the gold piece to my mother, telling her at 
the same time, how I got it 

I wanted her to let me go out at once and 
buy some things that we needed very- much. 
But my mother would not let me do that. She 
said the gentleman had given it to me by 
mistake j that I had no right to any more of the 
money than the two cents, which was the 
price of the paper ; that, if I used the rest of it, 
it would be like stealing, and God^s blessing 
would not rest upon me, and I never should 
prosper. Then she asked me to promise that I 
would keep the money, and try to find out the 
gentleman who gave it to me, and return it to 
him. I was very unwilling, at first, to do this ; but 
knowing that it was right for a boy to practice 
docility, or learn to obey his mother, I made up 
my mind to do what she wanted me, and so I 
gave her the promise. 

^^The next evening I began my- work of selling 
papers, as usual. After going through several 


THE HORSE. 


107 


cars, I saw the gentleman who had given me the 
gold piece. Going up to him, I said, ^ Sir, you 
bought a paper of me, last evening.^ 

‘^^Weiy said he, ^perhaps I did. I know I 
bought one of some boy. But what’s the mat- 
ter ? Didn’t I pay you? ’ 

^^^Yes, you did, sir. But instead of two cents, 
you gave me a gold piece, and here it is, sir.’ 
He looked surprised, and said, ^ Thank you, my 
boy. You are an honest fellow. Where do you 
live ? ’ 

told him. Then he said, H want another 
paper, and here’s half a dollar for it.’ 

All the gentlemen near us in the car, who 
heard what was said, bought papers of me, and 
they each gave me four or five times the usual 
price. Pretty soon my papers were all gone, 
and I ran home, feeling very rich, and told 
mother all about it. 

The next day that gentleman called to see my 
mother, and asked her to send me down to his 
office in the morning. After that I sold no more 
papers. The gentleman gave me a situation in 
his store. It was a low place at first 5 but I rose 


108 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


by degrees, and now I am a partner in that 
firm/^ 

Here we see how that boy had learned the les^ 
son of docility. He was ready to do what his 
mother taught him. That brought God^s bless- 
ing upon him, and it will do the same for us, if 
we learn this second lesson which the horse 
teaches us, the lesson of docility. 

The third lesson we may learn from the horse, 
is — THE LESSON OF KINDNESS. 

We had this lesson in our sermon about the 
lion. But we find better illustrations of it in the 
horse, than in the lion. And this lesson is so 
important that we cannot have it brought before 
us too often. The best kindness that we know 
anything about, is that which God shows to us. 
It is interesting to notice how God’s kindness is 
spoken of in the Bible. It is called merciful 
kindness,” everlasting kindness j ” it is excel- 
lent loving kindness,” marvellous loving kind- 
ness,” loving kindness that is better than life,” 
and ^Uoving kindness with which God crowns 
His people.” And as God Himself is so ready to 
show loving kindness to us. He expects us to do 


THE HORSE, 


109 


the same among ourselves. One of the great 
commands of the Bible is : Be ye kind one to 
another.’^ 

And in studying the history of the horse, we 
find two things about kindness illustrated. One 
of these is, Ifiow easily the horse is governed by 
kindness. The other is, how ready the horse is to 
return kindness that has been shown to it. 

Let us look for a moment at the first of these 
lessons, how easily the horse is governed by kind- 
ness. We do not find any illustrations of this in' 
the Bible, but there are plenty outside of the 
Bible. Here are two that come in nicely. The 
first may be called — 

THE POWER OF KINDNESS. 

A gentleman who was travelling through the 
country, stopped at a farmer’s house one night. 
He noticed that there was a gentle little girl, 
named Nellie, who by her kind ways had great 
influence over the other members of the family, 
and over the animals on the farm, too, as may be 
seen from this incident : 

The farmer was going to town next morning, 


110 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


and agreed to, take the stranger with him. The 
family came out to see them start. The farmer 
picked up the reins, and with a jerk, said, 
Dick, go ’long ! ” But Dick didn’t go ’long. 
The farmer cracked the whip about the pony’s 
ears, and shouted, Dick, you rascal, get up ! ” 
It was no use. Dick stood still. Then the whip 
came down with a heavy hand, but the stubborn 
horse only shook his head, as much as to say, 
No, I wont ! ” A stout lad came out, and 
seized the bridle, and pulled and jerked it, and 
kicked the rebellious pony, but he wouldn’t move 
a step. Just then little Nellie came out, and her 
gentle voice was heard saying, 0, Jimmy, 
don’t do so.” The pony knew Nellie’s voice. 
Her loving hand was laid on the horse, and a 
low, simple word was spoken. In a moment his 
stiff muscles were relaxed, and the air of stub- 
bornness about him all passed away. ^^Poor 
Dick,” she said, in her gentle voice, and at the 
same time stroking and softly patting his neck 
with her childlike hand. Now, go along, you 
naughty fellow,” she said, in a half chiding, but 
tender voice, as she drew slightly on the bridle. 


THE HORSE, 


111 


The pony turned, and rubbed his head against 
her arm for a moment, and then started off in a 
cheerful trot, and there was no more trouble that 
day. 

The stranger turned to the farmer, and said : 
What wonderful power that little girl has in 
her hand and voice ! ” 

O, yes,^^ said the farmer, she^s good. 
Everybody and everything loves her.’^ 

Here is another story, which may be called — 

CUEED BY KINDNESS. 

Willie Davis was a little boy about ten years 
old, who lived in the country. He was a mem- 
ber of The Band of Mercy,^^ which had been 
formed in their Sunday-school. The pledge, 
which each of the members of that Band repeat- 
ed at their meetings, was this : I will try to be 
kind to all living creatures, and to protect them 
from cruelty.’’ Willie was faithful in carrying 
out that pledge. One day, when walking along 
the road, he saw their butcher whipping, most 
unmercifully, his poor half starved horse. On 
seeing this, Willie cried out, 0, Mr. Smith, 


112 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


you oughtn’t to do so.” But the next moment 
the horse started and galloped away. He ran 
for more than a mile. The wagon was broken 
to pieces, and the butcher was thrown out and 
badly bruised. 

The next day, ^^the vicious beast,” as the 
neighbors called that horse, was offered for sale. 
But nobody cared to buy him at any price. 
They all said he was good for nothing. But 
Willie persuaded his father, Mr. Ely, to buy 
him for use on the farm. He wanted to try and 
see if that horse could not be cured of his bad 
ways, and be made a good horse by being kind- 
ly treated. The people said it was foolish to buy 
such a horse, for he never would be of any use. 
Even the butcher, who sold him, said he would 
bite, and rear, and kick, and run away. But 
Mr. Ely bought the horse to please Willie, whose 
tender heart was full of pity for the poor animal. 

We will be so kind to him,” said Willie to his 
papa, that he wont want to be bad any more.” 
So they agreed to try Willie’s plan. 

And that plan soon begap to tell upon him. 
Not long after that, when Mr. Ely and Willie 


THE HORSE, 


113 


were seen driving the horse, their neighbors 
would look with surprise at the change which 
had taken place in him. He would go along, 
just as slowly as was desired. He would stop 
the moment they said whoa to him : he 
would come when called, would start, or run, 
when told, and always loved to rub his head 
against the shoulder of Willie or his father. 
And what had made the change ? It was not 
force. The poor creature had been beaten 
and kicked and starved before, and he grew 
worse and worse under that treatment. But 
now, he was differently treated. He had a nice 
bed in the stable, he was well fed, well watered, 
not over-driven, or over-loaded, never whipped, 
or kicked or scolded. Kind words were spoken 
to him, and now and then an apple or a lump of 
sugar was given to him. There was no gentler, 
safer, or more faithful horse than he was, to be 
found in all that country. And kindness had 
made this great change in him. 

Here we see how easily the horse can he gov- 
erned hy hindness. 

But while the horse is easily governed by 
8 


114 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


kindness , — Ifie is ready toreturn the Tcindness show- 
ed to him. 

Our first illustration of this may be called : 

A LADY EESCUED FROM DROWNING BY A HORSE. 

This story was published in an English paper, 
which is devoted principally to considering the 
wonders of nature, and the habits and character- 
istics of animals. 

A lady, the wife of a wealthy farmer, living 
near Toronto, in Canada, was walking about the 
farm one day. In the course of her walk, she 
was crossing a plank bridge, which crossed a 
deep and rapid stream that ran through the farm. 

In crossing this, she missed her footing, and 
fell into the water. Now, she was in the great- 
est possible danger. She was encumbered with 
her clothing ; she could not swim, and there was 
no one within hearing to render her any help. 
But, in the field through which that stream 
flowed, her favorite horse was grazing. This 
horse had always been treated by his mistress 
with the greatest kindness, and always seemed to 
be grateful for it. 


THE HORSE, 


115 


But we should hardly have expected that in 
this state of things, a horse would be able to un- 
derstand the danger to which his mistress was 
exposed. But this horse did. On looking 
around and seeing his mistress struggling in the 
water, he started, and galloping to the edge of 
the stream, plunged in, and swam towards her. 
Then he took hold of her dress, and brought her 
safely to the dry land. And in doing this he 
was only returning to his mistress the kind- 
ness she had showed to him. 

I have one other illustration of this part of our 
subject ; we may call it — 

THE STORY OF THE ARAB HORSE. 

We know how fond the Arabs are of their 
horses, and how kindly they treat them. 

There was an Arab chief once who had a 
horse that was a great favorite with him, and 
was treated like one of his family. 

On one occasion this chief was engaged in 
war with the Turks. He was defeated in bat- 
tle, and was taken prisoner with a number of 
his tribe. On the night after the battle, the 


116 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


prisoners had their hands and feet bound 
with strong cords, and were left in the field 
outside the Turkish camp to spend the night. 
The horses were tied to stakes driven into the 
ground, not far from where their masters 
were. 

This chief could not sleep any that night for 
thinking of his defeat, and that he should prob- 
ably never see his family again. As he lay 
there awake, he could hear the horses neighing, 
and recognized the voice of his own horse. He 
wanted very much to get near him. But he 
could not walk f yet, after trying awhile, he man- 
aged, by rolling over the grass, to get close to 
where his horse was. Then he called him by 
name, and spoke to him kindly, as he was 
accustomed to do. 

On hearing his master’s voice, the horse gave 
a spring, and broke the cord which bound him 
to the stake. Then he came up to his master, 
and rubbed his head against him, and neighed 
joyfully over him. After this, he took hold 
with his teeth of the cord with which his master 
was bound, and lifting him from the ground. 


THE HORSE. 


117 


started off to carry him home. He kept on all 
that night, and the greater part of the following 
day, stopping occasionally to rest, till finally 
arriving at his master^s tent, he laid him down 
before his family, and then fell to the earth and 
died. 

How noble that was ! Surely that horse did 
return the kindness that had been showed to 
him. 

And so, the third lesson we learn from the 
horse is the lesson of kindness. 

The fourth lesson we may learn from the horse 
is THE LESSON OF USEFULNESS. 

When we look around in this busy world, 
among all the animals that God has made, we 
find no one that is so useful to us as the horse. 
In how many different ways does he help us I 
Along our canals the horses draw the boats that 
are loaded with merchandise of various kinds ; 
on our farms the horse is used for ploughing and 
for reaping ; on our turnpike roads we see them 
carrying loads of hay and straw, and other pro- 
ducts of the farm, for sale in our great towns 
and cities. And then returning they draw the 


118 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


wagons back, filled with manure for the fields, 
or with goods of various kinds for the use of our 
farmers and their families. In our large cities 
the ways are endless, in which the horse makes 
himself useful. And if we go out to the Park, 
in an afternoon, we see countless numbers and 
varieties of beautiful carriages, filled with ladies 
and gentlemen, whose health and comfort, and 
real enjoyment, are promoted by this useful ani- 
mal. 

And then, after death, as well as during his life, 
there is no more useful animal than the horse. 
Almost every part of the horse, after his death, 
is made use of in some way. His hair is used 
for making cloth ; — ^his skin for making gloves ; 
his bones for making buttons, or else they are 
ground into powder which is used to fertilize our 
fields. In France, and other parts of Europe, 
the flesh of the horse is used for food ; and the 
physicians there declare that it is quite equal to 
our beef. And even the very hoofs of the horse 
are used for making glue. Certainly we have 
the lesson of usefulness well illustrated in the 
horse. And when we think of this it should lead 


THE HORSE, 


119 


US all to try and make ourselves as useful as 
possible to those about us. 

Let us look at some examples of the way in 
which we may do this. 

Our first example may be called : — 

SYDNEY SMITHES RULE FOR USEFULNESS. 

Sydney Smith was a well-known and useful 
minister in the Church of England. One day, 
a member of his congregation asked him, how 
he could make himself useful. ^^My friend, 
said Mr. Smith, will give you this short 
rule for usefulness. Try to make one person 
happy every day j and then, at the end of ten 
years, you will have the pleasure of thinking 
that you have been useful to three thousand six 
hundred and fifty people.’^ 

Our next story may be called : — 

HOW JOHNNY SAVED THE TRAIN. 

Johnny Tompkins was a little fellow about 
eight years old. His father was a conductor on 
one of our great Railroads. Johnny was trying 
to be a Christian and make himself useful. 


120 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


In talking with his mother, one day, he 
said : 

I don’t suppose, mother, that little folks, like 
me can ever be of any use.” 

Why, yes,” said his mother ; if little folks 
only try to be useful, and ash God to help them^ 
they may do a great deal of good.” 

That evening, Johnny was sent to meet his 
father at the station, near which they lived. 

The train in which Mr. Tompkins had arrived 
was at the end of its journey, and was to stay 
there all night. 

As soon as he saw Johnny, he took him by 
the hand, and led him into the last car of the 
train which had just arrived, and giving him a 
seat near the stove, told him to wait there a few 
moments, and then he would come and take him 
home. 

Now it happened, that, by some mistake, one 
of the brakemen had unfastened the car, in 
which Johnny was sitting, from the train jto which 
it belonged. Just beyond the station where 
that train was standing, there was a down 
grade on the railroad. As Johnny’s father was 


THE HORSE. 


121 


leaving the train, a locomotive struck the other 
end of that train. This pushed the car that 
Johnny was in off the level ground where it 
had been standing, and started it down the 
descending grade. 

When Johnny found that the car was in mo- 
tion, and no one in it but himself, he was very 
much frightened. And, as he looked out of the 
front door of the car, he saw a red light far 
down along the road. He knew at once that it 
was an express-train, coming along in the oppo- 
site direction to that in which his car was going. 
Something must be done at once, or there would 
be a smash-up, in which he would be killed, and 
numbers of people in the approaching train. 

What should he do ? He thought of his 
mother^s words. Then he drooped on his 
knees, and asked God to help a little boy in a 
runaway car. 

As soon as he rose from his knees, he saw his 
father’s red signal lantern, lighted, and standing 
near the stove. In a moment he picked it up, 
and went out and stood on the front platform, 
swinging the red lantern up and down. The 


122 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


fireman on the express train saw it, and shouted 
to the conductor, Danger ahead ! Then the 
steam was shut ofi*, the engine was reversed, the 
air brakes were put on, and the train stopped. 
As Johnnj^s car came near, it was switched off 
on a side track, and all danger was over. 

When the passengers came out of the express 
train, and saw a little fellow with a red light on 
the platfoi^m of the runaway car, and heard how 
he had saved their train from destruction, they 
raised cheer after cheer for him in the stillness 
of the night. 

A purse of money was quickly made up for 
him, but that was little to Johnny compared with 
the happiness he found in thinking that God had 
made him useful in saving, perhaps, a hundred 
lives, which would have been lost, if that express 
train had dashed into the runaway car. 

I have only one other story to illustrate this 
part of our subject j we may call it— 

THE RIGHT PLACE, AFTER ALL. 

Some time ago, there was an earnest Christian 
man, who was connected with the police depart- 


THE HORSE. 


123 


ment in the city of Birmingham, England. In 
discharging his daily duties, he saw so many sad 
forms of sin and wickedness, that it made him 
feel uncomfortable, and he wished very much to 
get another situation. He asked his wife to 
unite with him in daily prayer, that it might 
please God to get him something else to do. 
They kept on praying in this way for some time, 
but no change came. At last the policeman 
came home one evening, looking very thoughtful. 
He said to his wife, Do you know, my dear, 
we have been making a mis.take in asking God 
to take me out of my present situation. I think 
now, that God has put me where I am, to work 
for Him, And I am going to pray that He will 
help me to make myself useful where I am.^^ 
Then he began a new life, and was all the 
time watching for opportunities of doing good. 
He became so useful in his work, that he was 
soon made the head of the detective police de - 
partment, He had a wonderful memory for 
faces, and when he once knew a personas name, 
he never forgot it. Here is an illustration of 
one of the ways in which he made himself useful. 


124 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


One day a man called to see him, and was shown 
into his private office. Looking at the detective, 
the stranger said, ^^Do you know me, sir?^^ 
The detective replied, Wait a moment, and Til 
tell you ; yes, I recollect you. Fourteen years 
ago I arrested you. You were tried, and sen- 
tenced to fourteen years imprisonment. Your 
name is so and so.^^ All right,” replied the 
man, but that is not all. After my sentence, 
when you had me conducted to the cell, you 
waited a moment, and then spoke some kind 
words to me, which I have never forgotten. 
This is what you said: ^My friend, this is a 
bad job for you. YouVe been serving a hard 
Master, and now youVe in for the wages. You 
will have plenty of time to think. Wont you 
come to the Lord and ask Him to make a new 
man of you ? Read your Bible, and pray, and 
give your heart to Jesus. It is not too late for a 
change j only turn now, and youffi come out a 
changed man, to lead an honest and honorable 
life.^ Then you shook hands with me, and plead- 
ed so earnestly, that I made up my mind to fol- 
low your advice, and I have done it The Lord 


THE HORSE. 


125 


has forgiven me. I went into that prison a poor, 
wretched sinner ; I have come out of it a new 
creature in Christ Jesus. My time is iust up, 
and the first thing I wanted to do, on getting out 
of prison, was to come and thank you for the 
kind words you spoke to me, and the good you 
have done me, both for body and for soul, for 
lime and for eternity.’^ 

This shows us that wherever we are placed 
we can work for God, and make ourselves useful 
to those about us. 

And so we see that the fourth lesson we may 
learn from the horse is — the lesson of usefulness. 

Now where is our text to-day ? Job xxxix. 
19. What are the words of the text % Hast 
thou given the horse strength 1 What is the 
sermon about ? The lessons taught us by the 
horse. How many of these lessons did we have ? 
Four. What is the first ? The lesson of cour- 
age. What is the second I The lesson of docil- 
ty. And what does docility mean ? It means a 
readiness to learn. What is the third lesson we 
learn from the horse 1 The lesson of kindness. 
And what is the fourth ? The lesson of usefulness. 


126 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


These are all valuable lessons for us to learn. 
Let us try to carry these four words away with 
us — courage — docility — hindness — and usefulness. 
And let us ask God to help us in learning, and 
practising these lessons, and then, like our bless- 
ed Saviour, we shall be able to — go about doing 
goodJ^ 


THE DEER. 


As the hart panteth after the water hrooJcs, so panteth my 
soul aftei' thee, 0 God.”— Psalm xlii. 1. 

Our subject to-day is the lessons which we 
learn from the deer. 

The deer is an animal which is frequently 
mentioned in the Bible — though it is often called 
in the Word of God, a hind, or a hart. There 
are many kinds of deer, such as the red deer, 
and the fallow deer, the wild deer, and the do- 
mesticated deer. 

Nearly all these different kinds of deer were 
formerly found in Palestine, so that the allusions 
in the Scriptures to the deer, are very frequent, 
and refer to the same kind of deer with which 
we are familiar. One of the first allusions that 

we have to the deer, in the Bible, is in Genesis 

( 127 ) 


128 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


xlix. 21, where Jacob, in blessing his sons, 
prophesies their future. Speaking of Naphtali 
he says : Naphtali is a hind let loose ; he giv- 
eth goodly words.’^ That deers’ flesh was used 
at the table, is shown by 1 Kings iv. 22, 23, 
where we read the account of King Solomon’s 
provisions: And Solomon’s provision for one 

day was thirty measures of fine flour, and three^ 
score measures of meal. Ten fat oxen, and 
twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred 
sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallow- 
deer, and fatted fowl.” 

An allusion is made to the speed and quickness 
of the deer in several passages in the Bible. In 
Isaiah xxxv. 6, we read : Then shall the lame 
man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb 
sing : for in the wilderness shall waters break out, 
and streams in the desert.” And a passage in 2 
Sam. xxii. 33, 34, reads : God is my strength and 
power ; and he maketh my way perfect. He 
maketh my feet like hinds feet j and setteth me 
upon my high places.” 

Nearly four hundred years after these words 
of King David, we find Habakkuk using the 


THE DEER, 


129 


same image. Hab. iii. 18, 19 : Yet, I will 
rejoice in the Lord : I will joj in the God 
of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, 
and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and 
he will make me to walk upon mine high places. 
To the chief singer on my stringed instru- 
ments.” 

There is another passage in Solomon’s Song — 
ii. 8, 9, which is an allusion to the deer ; it reads 
as follows : The voice of my beloved ! behold, 
he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping 
upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a 
young hart ; behold, he standeth behind our 
wall, he looketh forth at the windows, showing 
himself through the lattice.” 

There is one passage in the Bible which is 
familiar to us in many ways,” says the Eev. J. G. 
Wood, in his work on natural history ; ^^and, not 
the least, in that it has been chosen as the text 
of so many well-known anthems. Psalm xlii. 1, 
2 : ^ As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, 
so panteth my soul after thee, 0 God. My soul 
thirsteth for God, for the living God. When 

shall I come and appear before God ? ’ Beauti- 
9 


130 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


ful as this passage is, it cannot be fully under- 
stood without the context.” 

David wrote this Psalm before he had risen 
to royal power ; and while he was fleeing from 
his enemies from place to place, and seeking 
uncertain shelter in the rock caves. In verse 
six he enumerates some of the spots in which he 
has been forced to reside, far away from the 
altar, the priests and the sacrifice, for he has been 
hunted about from place to place by his enemies, 
as a stag is hunted by the hounds ; and his very 
soul thirsted for the distant Tabernacle, in 
which the Shekinah — the visible presence of 
God — rested on the mercy-seat between the 
golden cherubim. 

Wild and unsettled as was the early life of 
David, this was the ever reigning thought in his 
mind j and there is scarcely a Psalm that he 
wrote in which we do not find some allusion to 
the visible presence of God among men. No 
matter what might be the trouble through which 
he had to pass j even though he trod the 
valley of the shadow of death ; the thought of 
his God was soothing as water to the hunted 


THE DEER, 


131 


stag 5 and in that thought he ever found repose. 
Through all his many trials and adversities, 
through his deep remorse for his sins, through 
his wounded paternal affection, and through his 
success and prosperity, that one thought was the 
ruling power. 

He begins his career with it, when he faced 
Goliath : Thou comest to me with a sword, 
and with a spear, and with a shield ; but I come 
to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the 
God of the armies of Israel.’’ He closes his 
career with the same thought, and in the last 
words,” that are recorded, he charged his son to 
keep the commandments of the Lord, that he 
might do wisely all that he had to do.” 

It was evidently this passage from the Psalms 
of the ^^hart at the water brooks,” which Sir 
Walter Scott had in mind when he began his 
famous poem of the Lady of the Lake,” 
Canto I. 

“ The stag at eve had drunk his fill, 

Where danced the moon on Monan’s rill, 

And deep his midnight lair had made. 

In lone Glenartney’s hazel shade; 


132 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


But when the sun a beacon red 
Had twinkled on Benvoirlick’s head, 

The deep-mouthed bloodhounds’ heavy bay 
Resounded up the rocky way, 

And faint, from farther distance home. 

Were heard the clangiug hoof and horn.” 

The deer has some very remarkable traits. 
The gentle and affectionate disposition of the 
deer is well known by all who study out its 
habits. 

Its timidity, its grace, its activity, and the 
lightness and elegance of its motion, its swiftness, 
its maternal affection, its quickness and alert- 
ness in hearing sounds which tell of approach- 
ing danger, its defence of its young when put to 
bay, its instinct in taking to the water to elude 
its pursuers, and •in this way of throwing the 
dogs off the scent, its playfulness and grace, its 
beautiful walk and bounding steps, are some of 
the many traits of this animal, which gives it a 
prominent place among the animals of the Bible. 
One of the most wonderful things about the deer, 
after considering its grace and quickness of mo- 
tion, is the peculiar formation and shape of its 
horns. The horns of oxen and cows are hollow, 


THE DEER. 


133 


permanent, and formed around a muscular cen- 
tre ; moreover, they are composed of a peculiar 
substance, similar to the material of which hoofs 
and talons are composed. But the horns of the 
deer are formed on a very different principle ; 
in the first place they are solid deposits of bone ; 
in the second year they are deciduous, that is, 
they are only retained during a part of the yearj 
and in the third place they are deposits from the 
external, instead of the internal. 

The process of formation, says a writer on nat- 
ural history, is so singular that I shall give a 
short account of the progress of the ^^horn,^’ 
during its short-lived existence. We will sup- 
pose that a full-grown stag is hiding in the 
depths of the forests, in the month of March. 
He has no horns of any kind, and is hardly to 
be distinguished from a doe, but for his superior 
size. On his head are two slight prominences, 
covered with a kind of velvety skin. In a few 
days the prominence becomes much larger, and 
in a week or so beging to assume a horn-like 
shape. Now, grasp these budding horns with 
your hand, and you will find them quite hot, con- 


134 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


siderably hotter than those of the young ox. 
They are hot because this velvety substance, 
with which they are covered, is little else than a 
thick mass of arteries and veins, through which 
the blood is pouring almost with the rapidity of 
inflammation, depositing with every touch a mi- 
nute portion of bony matter. More and more 
rapidly increases the growth. The external arte- 
ries become enlarged, to supply a sufficient tide of 
blood to the horns through their arteries, whose 
size can be imagined from the grooves that they 
leave on the horn. At this period of their 
growth, the horn can be easily broken off, and 
if they are wounded in any way, the blood pours 
out with astonishing rapidity. At length the 
process is complete, and the noble animal walks 
decorated proudly with his enormous mass of 
horns. But the horns are at present useless, or 
worse than useless to him, for not only does he 
not use them, but he fears the slightest touch, 
because the blood still pours round them. How 
is this to be stopped, and how is the velvety cov- 
ering to be got rid of? In a manner no less 
simple than wonderful. 


THE DEER. 


135 


The arteries, having completed their work in 
depositing sufficient matter for the substance of 
the horn, now turn their attention to the base. 
It will be seen that all the arteries that supply 
blood to the horns must necessarily pass up its 
base. As the bony substance is deposited, each 
artery leaves for itself a groove, very deep at the 
base, and becoming shallower towards the tip. 
The entire horn being furnished, the base now be^ 
comes enlarged ; the grooves, in which the arteries 
lie, are covered by a bony deposit that compresses 
the artery within j the deposit becomes gradually 
thicker, and the arteries are in consequence 
gradually reduced in size, until at last they are 
completely obliterated, and the supply of blood 
cut off entirely. The velvet, being thus deprived 
of its nutriment, soon dies, and in a few days dries 
up, when the deer rubs off the shrivelled frag- 
ments against the trees, and is ready for com- 
bat. 

Sometimes the deer is so impatient that he 
rubs off the velvet before the arteries are entirely 
obliterated, and consequently loses some blood. 
I have seen a rein-deer busily engaged in rub- 


136 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


bing off the velvet while the blood was trickling 
down the horns, and the velvet hanging in crim- 
son rags, dripping with blood. The animal pre- 
sented the most ferocious appearance at the 
time. 

So much then for the history of this Bible 
animal — the Deer. Let us now learn the les- 
sons which this noble animal teaches us. 

We learn four lessons from the Deer. 


I. 

First of all we learn a lesson of quickness in 
fleeing from danger. 

The moment a deer hears the report of a gun, 
or the baying of a dog in the forest, immediately it 
takes to flight to escape the danger. Its prompt- 
ness and quickness in taking to the water se- 
cures its deliverance from the approaching dan- 
ger. 

Some time ago, a whole family were sitting 
together around the fireside, when the oldest 
girl in the family suddenly broke the silence, by 
saying : 

Why is Fred like the cat^s tail ? ’’ 


THE DEER. 


137 


The whole family — father, mother, brother, 
and sisters, all except Fred — stood waiting, 
muffled and gloved, for him to be ready to go 
with them to the lecture. Tardy Fred had been 
loitering about doing nothing in particular, in a 
dreamy, aimless fashion, and had yet to brush 
his hair, don his boots, overcoat, cap, muffler and 
mittens, when roguish sister Mary propounded 
this conundrum, as the sedate old family cat 
walked across the floor and took possession of 
the cushioned chair. 

Don’t you see ? Because he is always be- 
hind.” 

Fred turned from the glass with cheeks a lit- 
tle flushed by the laugh which Mary had raised, 
hurried into his outer clothes, and by the time 
the rest had waited for him full five minutes, he 
was ready. 

Always behind.” Yes, that is his great fail- 
ing. He is as quick-motioned as other boys 5 
can run as fast, jump as far, and can skate as 
well ; but he is always the late one. He is sel- 
dom ever ready to sit down at meals when the 
rest are ; perhaps will get absorbed in a book. 


138 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


and forget to wash, or brush his hair, till the rest 
are taking their seats. I should be sorry to tell 
you how often tardy-marks stand against his 
name on the school register, such a bad habit he 
has fallen into of waiting till the last minute 
before he starts. 'And on Sunday morning he 
will sit reading or dreaming over something, 
and never seem to think of getting ready for 
church till it is almost time to go. Then he is 
in a great flutter and can’t find this, that or the 
other ; the whole family have to help him, and 
he generally brings up in the rear after all. 

Well, it is only a habit, but it is a very bad 
one. Fred must leave off dreaming, and fall to 
doing instead. Promptness in action has done 
untold good and saved multitudes of lives, while 
tardiness has destroyed myriads. In temporal 
things as well as spiritual, Now is the accepted 
time.” 

The Devil has a great many servants, and 
they are all busy and active ones. They ride 
in the railroad trains, they sail on the steam- 
boats, they swarm along the highways of the 
country, and the thoroughfares of the city j they 


THE DEER. 


139 


do business in the busy marts ; they are every- 
where and in all places. Some are so vile-look- 
ing that one instinctively turns from them in 
disgust 5 but some are so sociable, insinuating 
and plausible, that they almost deceive at times 
the very elect. Among the latter class are to be 
found the DeviPs four chief servants. Here are 
their names : 

There is no danger,” that is one. 

Only this once,” that is another. 

Everybody does so,” this is the third. 

By-and-by,” that is the fourth. 

When tempted from the path of strict recti- 
tude, and There is no danger,” urges you on, 
say, Get thee behind me, Satan ! ” 

When tempted to give the Sabbath up to 
pleasure, or to do a little labor in the workshop 
or counting-room, and only this once,” or 
everybody does,” whispers at your elbow, do 
not listen for a moment to the dangerous counsel. 

All four are cheats and liars. They mean to 
deceive and cheat you out of heaven. 

Behold,” says God, now is the accepted 
time, now is the day of salvation,^ 


140 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


The deer teaches us to be prompt in avoiding 
temptation. So that the first lesson which we 
learn from the deer is the lesson of quickness in 
fleeing from danger. 

II. 


The second lesson which we learn from the 
deer is the lesson of self-reliance. 

The deer is the most timid, and, in a certain 
way, the most defenceless of all animals. Yet, 
it is one of the hardest and most difficult crea- 
tures to capture. The reason why it escapes so 
surely, is not only that it is quick in heeding 
the approach of danger, but it is self-reliant in 
getting out of the reach of danger. 

Many boys and girls make a failure in life 
because they do not learn to help themselves. 
They depend on father and mother, even to 
hang up their hats and to find their playthings. 
When they become men and women, they will 
depend upon husbands and wives to do the 
same thing. 

A nail to hang a hat on,^^ said an old man of 
eighty years, is worth everything to a boy.” 


THE DEER. 


141 


He bad. been ^^tbrougb tbe mill,” as people say : 
so tbat be knew. His mother bad a nail for 
bim wben be was a boy — a nail to bang bis bat 
on, and nothing else. It was Henry’s nail ” 
from January to January, year in and year out, 
and no other member of tbe family was allowed to 
appropriate it for any purpose whatever. If 
tbe broom by chance was hung thereon, or an 
apron or coat, it was soon removed, because that 
nail was to hang Henry’s bat on,” and that 
nail did much for Henry : it helped to make 
bim what be was in manhood — a careful, sys- 
tematic, orderly man, at home and abroad, on 
bis farm, and in his house. He never wanted 
another to do what he could do for himself. 

Young folks are apt to think that certain 
things, good in themselves, are not honorable. 
To be a blacksmith, or a boot-maker, to work 
on a farm, or drive a team, is beneath their 
dignity, as compared with being a merchant, or 
practising medicine or law. 

This is pride, an enemy to success and 
happiness. No necessary labor is discreditable. 
It is never dishonorable to be useful. It is 


142 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


beneath no one’s dignity to earn bread by the 
sweat of the brow. When boys who have such 
false notions of dignity become men, they are 
ashamed to help themselves as they ought, and, 
for want of this quality they live and die 
unhonored. Trying to save their dignity, they 
lose it. 

Here is a story I have from a very success- 
ful merchant. When he began business for him- 
self, he carried his wares from shop to shop. At 
length his business increased to such an extent 
that he hired a room in the Marlboro’ Hotel in 
Boston, during the business season, and thither 
the merchants, having been duly notified, would 
repair to make purchases. Among all his cus- 
tomers there was only one man who would carry 
to his store the goods which he had purchased. 
But there was one merchant, and the largest 
buyer of the whole number, who was not ashamed 
to be seen carrying a case of goods through the 
streets. Sometimes he would purchase four cases 
and would say, Now I will take two and you 
take two, and we will carry them right over to 
the store.” 


THE DEER. 


143 


So the manufacturer and the merchant often 
went through the streets of Boston quite heavily 
loaded. This njerchant, of all the number who 
went to the Marlboro^ Hotel for their purchases, 
succeeded in business. He became a wealthy 
man, when all the others failed. The manufac- 
turer who was not ashamed to help himself is 
now living— one of the wealthy men of Massa- 
chusetts, ready to aid by his generous gifts every 
good object that comes along, and honored by all 
who know him.’’ 

We are all architects, or laborers, together 
with God as the great Architect — in building up 
our character ; day by day we are building up 
the soul into strength or into weakness. The 
building which we construct is not visible, for it 
is the soul ; it is not formless, however, because 
it is invisible; but real and substantial, only 
with a finer substance than the senses can per- 
ceive. 

And a wondrous pile it is, with many parts, 
and eternal uses. Like Solomon’s temple, it 
goes up without sign of hammer or toil ; no solid 
granite, no glistening marble, but thoughts, feel- 


144 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


ings, purposes, are its materials ; out of these 
thin and fleeting things we are building a struc- 
ture which shall outlive the mountains, the globe 
and time itself. 

Little by little,” an acom said, 

As it slowly sank in its mossy bed : 

I am improving every day. 

Hidden deep in the earth away.” 

Little by little each day it grew, ^ 

Little by little it sipped the dew: 

Downward it sent out a thread-like root, 

Up in the air sprung a tiny shoot. 

Day after day, and year after year, 

Little by little the leaves appear ; 

And the slender branches spread far and wide, 

Till the mighty oak is the forest’s pride. 

Little by little,” said a thoughtful boy, 

“ Moment by moment I’ll well employ. 

Learning a little every day. 

And not spending all my time in play ; 

And still this rule in my mind shall dwell — 
Whatever I do. I’ll do it well.’ 

Little by little I'll learu to know 
The treasured wisdom of long ago ; 

And one of these days perhaps we’ll see 
The world will be the better for me.” 

And do you not think that this simple plan, 

Made him a wise and useful man ?” 


THE DEER. 


145 


The second lesson that we learn from the deer 
is the lesson of self-reliance. 

III. 

The third lesson which we learn from the deer, 
is the lesson of kindness to our fellows. All that 
the deer asks is to be let alone by dogs and hun- 
^ ters. The mother deer with her young is as 
gentle and tender as any human mother could be. 

There is a story told by a naturalist, that a 
newly bom deer, hardly an hour old, crouched 
low to the earth, in obedience to a light tap on 
its shoulder from its mother’s hoof ; she, with 
the intense watchfulness of her kind, had scented 
a possible danger, and so warned her young one to 
hide itself. That there is no animal so watchful, 
and tender, and kind, as is the female deer, all 
hunters know by experience. It is easy work 
to deceive the stag who leads the herd ; but to 
evade the eyes and ears of the hind is a very 
different business, and taxes well the resources 
of a practised hunter. I think we can learn a 
great lesson from the kindness and tenderness 

of the deer family to one another. 

10 


146 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


The power of the religion of Jesus Christ, 
consists in this ; that it makes us kind. 

Bear ye one another's burdens,^’ says the 
apostle, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Our 
own American poet, Joaquin Miller, writes as 
follows, a little piece which he has called, Is 
it Worth While ? '' : 

Is it worth while that we jostle a brother, 

Bearing his load on the rough road of life ? 

Is it worth while that we jeer at each other, 

In blackness of heart, that we war to the knife f 
God pity us all in our pitiful strife. 

God pity us all, as we jostle each other, 

God pardon us all for the triumphs we feel. 

When a fellow goes down ’neath his load on the heather, 
Pierced to the heart : Words are keener than steel, 

And mightier far for woe than for weal. 

Were it not well, in this brief little journey. 

On over the isthmus, down into the tide, 

We give him a fish, instead of a serpent, 

Ere folding the hands to be and abide 
Forever and aye in dust at his side ? 

Look at the roses saluting each other ; 

Look at the herds all at peace on the plain. 

Man, and man only, makes war on his brother ; 

And laughs in his heart at his peril and pain ; 

Shamed by the beasts that go down on the plain. 


THE DEER, 


147 


Is it worth while that we battle to humble 
Some poor fellow down into the dust ? 

God pity us all ! Time too soon will tumble 
All of us together, like leaves in a gust, 

Humbled, indeed, down into the dust. 

Here is a story about the offect of kindness, 
which we may call 

THE POWER OF SYMPATHY. 

It is told by one who was a soldier in a Wiscon- 
sin regiment. He says : 

When I was in the army, I was in a Wis- 
consin regiment. There was a man who came 
into our lines through the Southern lines, who 
wanted to join our regiment. He was brought 
before the officers and questioned pretty closely, 
and finally he was sworn into our ranks. He 
said he had been on a long march, and hadn^t 
got any letters for about two weeks. One beau- 
tiful summer night, when all through the camp 
the Wisconsin soldiers had got their letters and 
were reading them, this man came up to me, 
and said : 

^ Jim, I wish I was dead ! ^ 


148 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


^ Dead ! what for f ^ 

^ Well, I haven’t got any mother to write to 
me ; my mother’s dead. My father is in the 
Southern army, and would shoot me at sight for 
joining the Union forces. I’ve got no one to 
take an interest in me. I’ve got no home to go 
to after the war is over. I’d rather die than 
live.’ 

Well, this Wisconsin man wrote home to his 
mother and told her all about the case ; and it 
wasn’t long before the chaplain said : 

‘ Here’s a letter for you.’ 

^ For me? No, you are mistaken. I’ve got 
no one to write me letters. My folks are in the 
South, and they couldn’t get a letter through the 
lines. I don’t know any one in the North.’ 

Says the chaplain : ^ You open that letter, 
and if it isn’t for you I will take it and be re- 
sponsible for it.’ 

He took that letter, opened it, and read it — 
that letter from a Christian mother, stating how 
she loved him, how she took an interest in him, 
and that when the war was over, he was to make 
Wisconsin his own home. Oh, how the tears 


THE DEER. 


149 


flowed down his cheeks ; how he wept for joy as 
he thought of that ! He sat down and answered 
that letter, and in a few days an answer came 
back. It read like this : 

^ My dear son 5 ’ and just as soon as he saw 
that, away he went down the lines, shouting: 
‘ Boys, IVe got a mother ! Glory And there 
wasn^t a man in the whole regiment so anxious 
for the war to close, and to get home to ."ee his 
^ mother,^ as that man was.’’ 

My dear children, let us remember that cru- 
elty and harshness are relics of the beast nature 
within us. Let us try and imitate the kindness 
and gentleness of the lovable animals about us, 
as the deer, who is kind and gentle to its fellows. 
Let us try and take a kind and pleasant view of 
our fellow-men, and when we come to a hard 
place, or a hard nature in life, let us learn 
to — 

^^LET IT pass!” 

Be not swift to take offence ; 

Let it pass ! 

Anger is a foe to sense, 

Let it pass ! 


150 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Brood not darkly o’er a wrong, 

Which will disappear ere long, 

Bather sing this cheery song, — 

Let it pass ! 

Let it pass ! 

If for good they’ve render’d ill, 

Let it pass ! 

Oh, be kind and gentle still j 
Let it pass ! 

Time at last makes all things straight^ 

Let us not resent, hut wait. 

And our triumph shall he great. 

Let it pass ! 

Let it pass ! 

IV. 

The fourth and last lesson which we learn 
from the deer, is the lesson of depending upon 
present supplies. There is one wonderful Psalm 
(cx.), which is supposed to have been written by 
David. It describes the triumphs of the Great 
Messiah, and begins as follows : 

The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my 
right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot- 
stool. 

The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength 


THE DEER. 


151 


out of Zion ; rule thou in the midst of thine ene- 
mies.^’ 

It ends with the following words : — (verses 5, 
6, and 7.) 

The Lord at thy right hand shall strike 
through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall 
judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places 
with the dead bodies, he shall wound the heads 
over many countries. 

He shall drink of the brook in the way, 
therefore shall he lift up the head.” 

This idea, in the last verse, of drinking of the 
brook in the way, has evident reference to the 
stag or doe, in its march through the wilderness, 
supplying itself with the sustenance which it 
finds in its way. We sometimes worry ourselves 
about what we are to do next week, or next 
month, or next year. It is a great deal better 
for us to learn a lesson from the stag, and drink 
of the brook in the way ; ” by which I mean, 
do the present duty, and leave the future to 
take care of itself. 

Here are some beautiful verses which illus- 
trate this lesson of our subject, and the lesson of 


152 


BIBLE ANIMALS,. 


dependency upon our present supplies, 
poem is called: 

DOE YE NEXTE THYNGE.” 

From an old English parsonage, 
Down by the sea, 

There came, in the twilight, 

A message to me ; 

Its quaint Saxon legend. 

Deeply engraven, 

Hath, as it seems to me. 

Teaching from heaven ; 

And through the hours, 

The quiet words ring. 

Like a low inspiration, 

^ Doe ye nexte thynge.’ 

Many a questioning. 

Many a fear. 

Many a doubt. 

Hath its quieting here. 

Moment by moment. 

Let down from Heaven, 

Time, opportunity. 

Guidance are given ; 

Fear not to-morrows. 

Child of the King ; 

Trust them with Jesus, 

‘ Doe ye nexte thjmge.' 


This 


'THE DEER. 


153 


Ob, He wo'ild have thee 
Daily more free, 

Knowing the might 
Of thy Royal degree ; 

Ever in waiting, 

Glad for His call ; 

Tranquil in chastening, 
Trusting through all. 

Comings and goings. 

No turmoil need bring ; 

His all thy future — 

*■ Doe ye nexte thynge.’ 

Do it immediately. 

Do it with prayer, 

Do it reliantly, 

Casting off care ; 

Do it with reverence. 

Tracing His hand. 

Who hath placed it before thec 
With earnest comman i. 
Stayed on Omnipotence, 

Safe ’neath His wing. 

Leave all resultings — 

‘ Doe ye nexte thynge.^ 

Looking to Jesus ; 

Ever serener. 

Working or suffering 
Be thy demeanor ! 


154 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


In tlie shade of His presence, 

The rest of His calm, 

The light of His countenance, 

Live out thy psalm. 

Strong in His faithfulness, 

Praise Him and sing ; 

Then, as He beckons thee, 

* Doe ye nexte thynge.’ ” 

These then are the four lessons which we 
learn from the deer : First, we learn the lesson 
of quickness in fleeing from danger ; secondly, 
we learn the lesson of self-reliance ; thirdly, we 
learn the lesson of kindness to our fellows; and 
fourthly, we learn the lesson of depending on 
present supplies. 

Let us all try in life, my dear children, to be 
as thirsty aflf'.r God and our duty, as the hart is 
when it panteth after the water brooks. 


VI. 


THE BEE. 

They compassed me about like bees^ — ^Psalm cxviii. 12. 

The Bee and honey, are very often mentioned 
in the Bible. 

Bees, from a very early time, have lived in 
hives which they have formed among rocks. 

The hiving bee of Syria, is very much like 
our American bee, but smaller. Most of the ref- 
erences to the bees in the Bible, refer to their 
fearful sting. In Deut. xiv. 4, we read, And 
the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came 
out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and 
destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.” In 
the words of our text we read : They compass- 
ed me about like bees.” 

In the seventh chapter of Isaiah, eighteenth 

verse, we read : And it shall come to pass in 

(155) 


I 


156 BIBLE ANIMALS. 

that day, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly, that 
is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, 
and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.^^ 
This idea of ^ hissing ’ for the bee, is the same as 
that which bee-keepers have to-day, when they 
want to have a colony of bees swarm. They jin- 
gle bells, blow horns, and other utensils, beat on 
tin-pans, and call out, hello ! hi-oh ! and hist ! or 
heigh-oh ! when they want a colony of bees to 
swarm. 

We remember in the book of Deuteronomy that 
the land of promise was always spoken of as a 
land flowing with milk and honey.” 

David speaks of honey falling out of a rock, 
in Psalm Ixxxi. 16 : He should have fed them 
also with the finest of the wheat, and with honey 
out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.” 
Again in 1 Sam. xiv. 25, 26, we read: ^^And 
all they of the land came to a wood, and there 
was honey upon the ground. 

^^And when the people were come into the 
wood, behold the honey dropped, but no man put 
his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the 
oath.” 


THE BEE. 


157 


In Judges xiv. 18, we read : And the men 
of the city said unto him on the seventh day, be^ 
fore the sun went down. What is sweeter than 
honey ? and what is stronger than a lion ? And 
he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with 
my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.^^ 

In the wilderness of Judea, bees were more 
numerous than in other parts of Syria, and this 
honey was a part of the diet of John the Baptist 
when he preached in the wilderness. 

To-day, the Bedouin Arabs seek honey from 
the comb, and bottle it in skins. Honey has 
been from a very early date an article of com- 
merce in the East. Old Jacob sent down to his 
son Joseph, the Governor of Egypt, and to his 
other sons, honey. Honey was considered by 
the Jews as a valuable article of trade. When 
Ishmael had killed Gedaliah and others, ten men 
tried to please him by bribing him. They said. 
Slay us not, for we have treasures in the field, 
a barrel of oil and of honey That honey was 
held to be very valuable, is shown in 1 Sam. 
xiv. Saul the King issued an order that no- 
body should eat anything during the day of the 


158 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


battle, until evening. His son Jonathan, who 
had not heard his father’s order, being very 
hungry, came across honey oozing on the ground 
from a niche in the rock, where it had been 
stored. He held forth the end of his rod and ate 
from it, and was satisfied. There is a very curi- 
ous passage in the book of Proverbs, xxv. 16, 
which was evidently written for the bee-keepers 
of that day : Hast thou found honey ? Eat so 
much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled 
therewith, and vomit it.” 

Another warning is given in verse 27 : It is 
not good to eat much honey; so for men to 
search their own glory, is not glory.” These, 
then, are the allusions which we find in the Bible 
to honey and the honey-bee. 

Let us now study out for some of the ways 
and habits of this wonderful little worker. 
Bees only flourish when associated in large 
numbers, as a colony. In a solitary state, a 
single bee is almost as lifeless as a new- 
born child. It is not able to endure the ordin- 
ary chill of a summer night. 

Mr. Langstroth, an authority on bees, says : 


THE BEE. 


159 


If a certain colony of bees is examined a 
short time before it swarms, three different 
kinds of bees will be found in the hive. The first 
is the big bee, commonly called the queen bee. 
The second, some hundreds of large bees called 
^ drones.’ The third among these, are of a 
smaller kind, called ^ workers,’ or common bees, 
and are those seen on the blossoms. The queen 
bee is the ruler of the hive. All the eggs are laid 
by her. The large bees are called the drones, and 
are a sort of nobility, who keep near the queen. 
The thousands of smaller bees are called the 
workers ; they are the ones who go after 
the honey. The queen bee, or mother bee, is 
the common mother of the whole colony. She 
is necessary to the welfare of the hive, and a col- 
ony without a queen must surely depreciate, 
as a body would without a spirit. 

The queen bee is treated by the bees as 
every mother should be by her children — with 
the most unbounded respect and affection. The 
circle of her hive is her home, and the bees are 
constantly surrounding her, displaying in many 
ways their dutiful regard; offering her honey 


160 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


from time to time, always getting out of her 
way, and making her a clear path when she 
wishes to move on the combs. If she is taken 
from them, as soon as they have ascertained 
their loss, the whole colony is thrown into a 
state of the most intense excitement. All the 
labors of the hive are at once abandoned, and 
the bees run over the combs, and the whole of 
them run out of the hive, and look, as in 
anxious search, after their beloved mother. 
Not being able to find her, they return to 
their desolate home j and by their actions and 
in many other ways reveal their deep sense 
of loss. Their moans sound like a succession of 
wails on the minor key, and cannot any more be 
mistaken, by the experienced bee-keeper, for 
their ordinary happy hum, than the piteous 
moaning of a sick child can be confounded by 
the mother with its happy laughter in its days 
of health.^^ 

The ^ drones ’ are a very curious insect *, they 
are a sort of nobility who hang around the 
court during the days of summer. They will not 
work, and are merely ornaments ; but they have 


THE BEE. 


161 


a terrible day of reckoning when the fall comes. 

The ten thousand workers, or common bees, 
who have been toiling all summer, going back 
and forth, bringing honey into the hive, turn 
upon the drones, when the first frost comes, and 
kill them right and left. It is something fright- 
ful to witness this massacre of the drones. It 
is like the massacre of the Sicilian vespers, or 
the massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day. 

The workers go for the drones with their 
stings, trample them under foot, and pierce 
them through and through with their sharp 
probosces. The poor drones seem to have no 
way to defend themselves, and, not having been 
workers, and having no share in the labor of the 
hive, they are turned out into the dreary winter, 
or are massacred in cold blood by the working 
bees. In many ways they seem to form a band 
of union, as the Knights of Labor do. 

The building of the honey-comb is carried on 
with the greatest activity in the hive. The cells 
are built in the night, while the honey is gath- 
ered during the day, and in this way no time is 

lost. If the weather is too wet to allow the bees 
11 


1G2 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


to go abroad, the comb is rapidly constructed by 
day and by night. On the return of a fair 
day, the bees gather an unusual quantity of 
honey,” says Mr. Longstroth, as they have plenty 
of room for storage. Thus it often happens that 
by their wise economy of time, they lose nothing, 
even if confined for several days to their hive. 

When the poet says : 

How doth the little busy bee 
Improve each shining hour,” 

he might with equal truth have described her as 
utilizing the dark nights in her bountiful labors. 

The number of workers in a hive varies very 
much ; a good swarm ought to contain from fif- 
teen to twenty thousand bees. 

The honey-bee is capable of being tamed and 
domesticated to a most surprising degree. The 
honey-bee never volunteers an attack on any 
one; he gets on the defensive when crowded, 
but he only fights in self-defence. 

In the spring of the year, as soon as the hive 
is well filled with comb, the new swarm begins 
to crowd. It is time the population of bees be- 


THE BEE. 


163 


gan to make preparations for migration. Says 
an authority on this subject : 

About the time of the young queen’s arrival 
at maturity, the drones are always found in the 
greatest abundance. The swarm is led off by 
the old queen, unless she has previously died, or 
some accident has befallen her, in which case 
the swarm is led by one of the young ones, rear- 
ed to supply her loss. The old mother leaves 
soon after the cells are ceiled over. There are 
no indications from which one can judge with 
certainty, when the bees are first going to 
swarm. Sometimes the weather will he unfavor- 
able, or the blossoms fail to yield an abundant 
supply of honey, so it is very uncertain just 
when they are ready to swarm. 

On the day fixed for their departure, the 
queen bee appears very restless, and instead of 
depositing her eggs in the cells, she climbs over 
the combs, and imparts her agitation to the 
whole colony. The bees fill themselves with 
honey before they start. A short time before 
the swarm rises, a few bees may be seen sport- 
ing in the air, and looking towards the door- 


164 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


way j occasionally flitting in and out, as. though 
they were impatient for the important event to 
take place. At length a very violent agitation 
commences in the hives. The bees appear 
almost frantic, whirling around in a certain way, 
like the circles made by a stone thrown into the 
still water, until at last the whole hive is in a 
state of great commotion, and the bees rush im- 
patiently to the entrance, and pour forth in one 
steady stream. Not a bee lags behind, but each 
one pushes straight ahead, as though fleeing for 
dear life. They fly in direct course ; hence the 
expression, ^ to make a bee-line ^ to the desired 
spot.’^ 

It used to be considered necessary at swarm- 
ing and hiving time, for people to ring bells, 
beat kettles, and Are guns in order to make a 
noise, and encourage the bees in flying. This is 
so yet. It is the old queen who generally leads 
the swarm, and some new queen bee takes the 
place she left in the old hive, and carries on the 
business — ^with a new sign ” as it were. 

It is very difficult in the short space of time 
given us in this sermon, my dear children, to 


THE BEE. 


165 


tell you minutely more about tbe wonderful 
habits of the bees ; how they ventilate their 
hives, how they make pollen or bee-bread, how 
they protect the hive against the extremes of 
heat, and cold, and dampness, how they make 
their comb, in which the wax is formed, how 
they rob one another, like the old barons of old j 
— one hive of bees robbing another — how they 
are broken up by the death of their queen, how 
they fight their great enemy the bee-moth, and 
how they seem to have anger among themselves 
when there are those in the hive who do not 
work up to the standard of the hive. 

All these wonderful points in the nature of this 
most remarkable insect, we must pass over, and 
come to the lessons which we learn from the 
bee. 

They compass me about like bees.’^ 

We may carry from the hive to our homes 
several important lessons. 

During work, the bees are so intensely absorb- 
ed in their duties, that they can think of nothing 
else. 


168 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


I. 

The first lesson we learn from the bee is the 
lesson of loyalty. They all love their queen. 
She is their ruler and their mother, and they are 
her subjects and her children. Without her, 
home would be nothing. She makes the home 
what it is. She is queen, and must be obeyed. 

History informs us of an old Roman soldier 
who had served forty years in the interests of his 
country ; thirty years as an officer; he had been 
present at one hundred and twenty battles ; had 
been wounded forty-five times ; received fourteen 
crowns for saving Roman citizens ; three mu- 
ral crowns for having been first to mount the 
breach, and eight golden crowns for having 
snatched the Roman Legion from the enemy. 
All this bravery was performed by one noble 
warrior. 

Such a life as this is indeed a life of loyalty 
to one^s country. 

II. 

The second lesson we learn from the bee, is 
the lesson of loving the home. Bees are keepers 
at home. They are very much attached to their 


THE BEE. 


267 


Mve. No mother of a family loves her home 
more than a queen bee j and all the true Work- 
er bees take after their mother in this respect. 
Some people have a genius for helping ; there 
are others who seem to have a genius for hinder- 
ing. 

There goes a man/^ said his neighbor, speak- 
ing to a village carpenter, who has done more 
good, I really believe, in this community, than 
any other person who ever lived in it. He can- 
not talk very well in prayer meeting, and he 
doesn’t often try. He isn’t worth two thousand 
dollars, and it’s very little that he can put down 
on subscription papers for any other object 5 but 
a new family never moves into the village that 
he does not find them out, give them a neighbor- 
ly welcome, and offer any little service he can 
render. He is usually on the lookout to give 
strangers a seat in his pew at church. He is al- 
ways ready to watch with a sick neighbor, and 
look after his affairs for him ; and I have some- 
times thought he and his wife keep house-plants 
in winter just for the sake of being able to send 
little bouquets to invalids. He finds time for a 


168 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


pleasant word for every child he meets ; and 
you will always see them climbing into his one 
horse wagon when he has no other load. He 
really seems to have a genius for helping folks in 
all sorts of common ways, and it does me good 
every day just to meet him on the streets.” 

The second lesson we learn from the bee is 
the lesson of loving our home, and of having 
the power of helping one another. 

III. 

The third lesson we learn from the bee is the 
lesson of cleanliness. 

The care with which they remove dirt of all 
kinds is something remarkable. 

They seem to believe what many Christians 
believe, that cleanliness is next to Godliness.” 

Every boy and girl may well follow the ex- 
ample of these wise little philosophers, the bees, 
and keep everything clean in their homes. 

IV. 

The fourth lesson we learn from the bee is a 

\ 

lesson of sympathy. 


THE BEE. 


169 


1 have seen a wounded bee carried at length, 
and laid on the bee-board in the warm sunshine. 
One bee would lick the sufferer from head to 
foot with his tongue, another would roll him 
over and over in the sunshine. After they had 
succeeded in doing this, they would carry him to 
his sick-bed. This shows us the sympathy ot 
the bee, and sympathy is the most divine thing 
in the world. 

Here is a story which illustrates this point, 
which we may caU — 

THE DYING BOY^S BOREOWED SHILLING. 

On December 28th, Dean Stanley addressed 
a number of children in Westminster Abbey, and 
in the course of his remarks, he told the follow- 
ing story : Not long ago, in Edinburgh, two 
gentlemen were standing at the door of an hotel, 
one very cold day, when a little boy, with a 
poor, thin, blue face, his feet bare, and red with 
the cold, and with nothing to cover him but a 
bundle of rags, came and said, ^ Please, sir, buy 
some matches.^ ^No; I don^t want any,’ the 
gentlemen said. ^ But they are only a penny a 


170 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


box/ the poor little fellow pleaded. ^ Yes, but 
you see, we don^t want a box,^ the gentleman 
said again. ^ Then, I will gie ye twa boxes for 
a penny,’ the boy said at last, and so to get rid 
of him, the gentleman, who tells the story, 
says — 

^ I bought a box, but then I found I had no 
change, so I said, ^ I will buy a box to-morrow.’ 
^ Oh, do buy them to-night, if you please ! ’ the 
boy pleaded again 5 ^ I will run and get ye the 
change, for I am verra hungry.’ So I gave him 
the shilling, and he started away. I waited for 
him, but no boy came. Then I thought I had 
lost my shilling : still there was that in the boy’s 
face I trusted, and I did not like to think bad of 
him. Late in the evening I was told a little boy 
wanted to see me 5 when he was brought in, I 
found it was a smaller brother of the boy that 
got my shilling 5 but, if possible, still more rag- 
ged, and poor, and thin. 

He stood a moment, diving into his rags, as 
if he was seeking something, and then said, 
‘ Are you the gentleman that bought the 
matches frae Sandie ? ’ ^ Yes.’ ^ Weel, then, 


THE BEE, 


171 


here^s four-pence out o^ yer shilling; Sandie 
cannot come ; he^s very ill ; a cart run over him 
and knocked him down, and he lost his bonnet, 
and his matches, and your seven-pence, and 
both his legs are broken, and the doctor saya 
he^U die ; and that^s a — ’ And then, putting 
the fourpence on the table, the child broke 
down into great sobs. So I fed the little man, 
and I went with him to see Sandie. I found 
that the two little things lived alone, their 
father and mother being dead. 

Poor Sandie was lying on a bundle of shav- 
ings ; he knew me as soon as I came in, and 
said, got the change, sir, and was coming 
back; and then the horse knocked me down, 
and both my legs were broken ; and, 0 Reuby ! 
little Reuby ! I am sure I am dying, and who 
will take care of you when I am gone ? What 
will ye do, Reuby ? ’ Then I took his hand, and 
said I would always take care of Reuby. He 
understood me, and had just strength to look up 
at me as if to thank me. The light went out of 
his blue eyes. In a moment 


172 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


He lay within the light of God, 

Like a hahe upon the breast, 

Where the wicked cease jfrom troubling. 

And the weary are at rest.” 

V. 

The fifth and last lesson which we leam from 
the bee, is the lesson of being happy in one^s 
work. Place yourselves,’^ says one who has 
written on this subject, before a hive, and see 
the indefatigable industry of its busy toilers. 
Let the bee’s hum inspire you with the honorable 
resolution to do all things cheerfully in the active 
duties of life. We ought to be happy and cheer- 
ful in our work. 

^^Are you not wearying for our heavenly 
rest ? ” said Whitefield, one day, to an old cler- 
gyman. 

No 5 certainly not ! he replied. 

Why not ? ” was the surprised rejoinder. 

Why, my good friend,” said the old minis- 
ter, if you were to send your servant into the 
fields to do a certain portion of work for you, 
and promised to give him rest and refreshment 
in the evening, what would you say if you found 


THE BEE. 


173 


him languid and discontented in the middle of 
the day, and murmuring, ^ Would to God it were 
evening ! ’ Would you not bid him be up and 
doing, and finish his work, and then go home 
and get the promised rest ? Just so does God 
say to you and me.” 

Here is the way in which an old colored 
preacher described the lessons which we learn 
from the bee. 

There’s a bee humming in that clover-head 
yonder,” said Uncle True j ^^you can’t hear it 
when you’re talkin’, but if you jest keep still a 
minute, you can hear it as plain as a church-bell, 
and I think it’s jest as pooty a noise — leastways, 
it tells me more.” 

Indeed ! ” said I. I should like to know 
what it tells you.” 

^^Well, in the first place, it shows me that 
honey’s to be got out o’ all the flowers, even the 
leetlest and homeliest. The bee gets it in the 
onlikeliest places, you see. He don’t turn up his 
nose at a mullein-stalk, no more’n he does at a 
garden pink; and I shouldn’t wonder if the Lord 
had put jest as much honey in one as t’other. 



174 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


But if he was a bee with an aristocratic turn 
mind, and wouldn’t look for honey anywheres 
but in garden pinks and damask roses, it’s my 
opinion that he’d go home to his hive empty- 
handed the biggest part o’ the time. And I sup- 
pose the Lord has put about as much honey in 
one man’s road as another’s ; if he only knew 
how to look for it, and didn’t despise mullein- 
stalks. 

Then the bee shows me it’s a man’s business 
to hive up honey ; not jest to go around amusin’ 
himself with the flowers, and takin’ only what 
tastes good, and what he can eat at the time, but 
to store it up against the winter of old age and 
trouble. I mean the honey of wisdom, and that 
begins in the fear of God. And, besides all that, 
the bee shows me that a man should go to his 
honest day’s work, with a joyful spirit, singin’ 
and makin’ melody in his heart, and not to be 
agoin’ round with a sour face, and a grumblin’ 
tongue, and a cross-grained temper, jest as if he 
thought the Lord who made him didn’t know 
what was good for him.” 

These, then, are the lessons which we learn 


THE BEE. 


175 


from the bee. We might learn a great many 
more than these, for we might learn the lesson 
of being fond of fresh air, which the bees teach 
us by the way in which they ventilate their 
houses. We might learn the lesson of early ris- 
ing from the bees, for they are up with the first 
ray of sunshine in the morning. They always 
go to bed when the sun goes down. Even the 
drones, or lazy idlers in the hives, are not allow- 
ed to go to balls and parties after seven o^clock, 
and dance with the wasps and grasshoppers, 
and then come home by the light of the moon. 
Though they do no work, they have got to go 
to bed when the others go. There is no outside 
club-house for the drones. Still another lesson 
which we may learn from the bee, is the lesson 
of being peace-makers. They will not attack 
unless they are first attacked, and their stings 
they use merely in the defence of their queen or 
their homestead. But those lessons which we 
have marked off to-day are important ; let us 
therefore go back and learn what they are. 

First of all they teach us the lesson of 
loyalty. 


176 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Second, they teach us a lesson of loving one’s 
home. 

Third, they teach us the lesson of cleanliness. 

Fourth, they teach us the lesson of sym- 
pathy. 

Fifth, they teach us the lesson of cheerfulness 
in work. 

In conclusion, my dear children, how wonder- 
ful are the marvellous works of God ! 

Well might we say with the Psalmist (Psalm 
civ. 24-32) : ^^0 Lord, how manifold are thy 
works ! In wisdom hast thou made them all ; the 
earth is full of thy riches. So is the great and 
wide sea also, wherein are things creeping in- 
numerable, both small and great beasts. 

There go the ships, and there is that Levia- 
than, whom thou hast made to take his pastime 
therein. 

These wait all upon thee, that thou mayest 
give them meat in due season. 

When thou givest it them, they gather it, and 
when thou openest thy hand, they are filled with 
good. 

When thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; 


THE BEE. 


177 


when thou takest away their breath, they die, 
and are turned again to their dust. / 

When thou lettest thy breath go forth, they 
shall be made ; and thou shalt renew the face of 
the earth. 

The glorious majesty of the Lord shall endure 
for ever j the Lord shall rejoice in his works. 

12 


THE EAGLE. 


** The way of the eagle in the air — is wonderfulf 
Proverbs xxx. 19 . 

We have spoken of five of the beasts mentioned 
in the Bible. And now, we take up one of the 
Bible birds, namely, — the eagle. Some birds 
are larger than the eagle, and others are more 
beautiful j but, when we come to consider the 
natural history of this noble bird, we find it very 
interesting and instructive. As the lion is 
called — ‘Ghe king of beasts,^^ so the eagle is 
called — the king of birds.” Eagles are of dif- 
ferent kinds and sizes. What is called the Gold- 
en Eagle is of the largest size. It measures 
three feet and a half from the tip of its beak, 
down to its feet j and when its wings are spread 
out they measure about ten feet. There is ano- 
ther kind known as the Imperial Eagle, the 
( 178 ) 


THE EAGLE, 


179 


spread of whose wings is about six feet. And 
there is another kind known as the Marine Ea- 
gle, whose wings when spread out measure a lit- 
tle over four feet. 

On our national coat of arms, we have this no- 
ble bird to represent our country, and we call it. 

The American Eagle.” During the late war a 
soldier in a regiment from Wisconsin had a fine 
looking eagle, which he had tamed and kept as a 
pet. It was called — ^^old Abe” in honor of Presi- 
dent Lincoln. The soldier took this eagle with 
him all through the war. It was present in 
more than thirty battles. It was wounded twice, 
but would never leave its master. And when 
the soldiers of that regiment shouted ‘^hurrah” 
over any victory gained, old Abe ” would flap 
his wings, and utter loud cries with them. 

In our text Solomon says, The way of the 
eagle in the air is wonderful.” 

And our sermon to-day will be about — 

THE EAGLE AND ITS WONDERS. 

There’ are four wonderful things about the 
eagle, of which we wish to speak. 


180 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


I. 

In the first place, the eagle is wonderful for its 
strength. 

We see the strength of the eagle in the way it 
flies. The swiftness of its flight shows its 
strength. We are told by those who have 
made a study of natural history that the eagle 
is often known to fly at the rate of between 
forty and fifty miles an hour. And then, the 
great height to which it flies, as well as its 
speed, shows its strength. If you and I were 
standing in sight of an eaglets nest, on the peak 
of a high mountain, we might see it leave its 
nest, and fly up, and up, towards the sun, till it 
was quite out of sight. It must have very 
great strength to enable it to do this. And 
then, in the food which it carries to its nest, for 
its young ones to eat, we see the strength of the 
eagle. It carries geese, and turkeys, and kids, 
and lambs, and even little children for its young 
ones to feed on. 

In one of the cantons of Switzerland, two 
little girls were playing together in a meadow ; 
one of them was about three years old, and the 


THE EAGLE. 


181 


other five. While they were busy in their 
play, an eagle came and swooped down upon 
them. He seized hold of the oldest child, and 
carried it away to his nest, which was about 
the distance of a mile and a half from where he 
found the child. And there the remains of the 
poor child were found by a hunter some time 
afterwards. How great the strength of that 
eagle must have been to enable it to carry 
that child so far ! 

Now it is God who gives the eagle its great 
strength. And what God does for the eagle, 
in this way. He can do for all his servants. 
He says to each of His people, I will strength- 
en thee.^^ — Isaiah xli. 10. 

The Apostle Paul was feeling the truth and 
preciousness of this promise, when he said, I 
can do all things through Christ, who strength- 
eneth me.^^ — Phil. iv. 13. And what Jesus did 
for Paul, He is ready to do for you, and me, and 
for all his people. No matter how hard the 
duty is that we have to perform, if we only seek 
from God the strength He has promised us, we 
shall be able to do it with ease and comfort. 


182 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


Here are some illustrations of the way in 
which Jesus gives his people strength. 

The first may be called — 

THE soldier’s STRENGTH. 

A young soldier came to the chaplain of his 
regiment, and told him that the first night he 
was in the barracks, before going to bed, he 
kneeled down to say his prayers, as he was 
accustomed to do. But the other soldiers all 
laughed, and made fun of him, and threw their 
boots at him. And now,” he asked, what 
would you advise me to do % ” 

The chaplain advised him to say his prayers 
in bed, without kneeling down. 

The next time the chaplain met the soldier, he 
asked him if he had tried his plan, and how it 
succeeded. 

tried it for a night or two,” said the 
soldier ; but then I thought it seemed like being 
ashamed of Jesus, who is my captain. So I 
asked him to give me strength to do what was 
right. Since then, I have kneeled down every 
night to say my prayers. And now, the men 


THE EAGLE, 


183 


don’t laugh at me any more. But a good many 
of them kneel down themselves and say their 
own prayers.” 

Now here we see how God gave that brave 
soldier strength to do his duty, and what a bless- 
ing his example was to his comrades, in leading 
them to do their duty too. 

The only other story here may be called — 

HELP IN TEOUBLE. 

This is a story which my dear mother, now in 
heaven, used to tell me, and my brothers and 
sisters when we were little children. My mother, 
when a girl, lived in the town of Bridgenorth, 
Shropshire, in England. Near my father’s 
house,” she used to say, there lived a man who 
was a baker, and who supplied our family with 
bread. He and his wife were not religious peo- 
ple, and never went to church. But after awhile 
the baker’s wife took to going to the Methodist 
Church, in their neighborhood. Before long she 
was converted, and joined the church. This 
made her husband very angry. He told her not 
to go to church, but she went. Then, when she 


184 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


came home at night, he would heat her severely 
and drag her round the room by the hair of her 
head. But still she kept on going to church. 

One Sunday evening, he said to her : — Wife, 
I have told you not to go 4o church, and yet you 
go. I have beaten you over and over again, but 
still you will go. Now, I want to say to you, 
that if you go to-night, as sure as I am a living 
man, the moment you are gone, I^U start the fire 
in the big oven, and make it as hot as I can, and 
when you come home I’ll put you into the oven, 
and roast you alive.” His wife knew he 
was a very determined man, and that he would 
be sure to do what he had threatened. Then 
she went up to her chamber, and kneeling down, 
told the Lord all about it. She asked Him to 
give her strength to do her duty 5 and to have 
mercy on her husband, and make him a Chris- 
tian. 

Then she put on her bonnet and shawl, and 
went to church. As soon as she was gone, her 
husband went into the bakery, and started a fire 
in the oven. He kept on throwing in the wood 
for an hour or so, till the oven was hotter than 


THE EAGLE. 


185 


ever it had been before. Then, fearing that per- 
haps his wife would not come home that night, 
but might go and stay with some of their neigh- 
bors, he put on his hat, and started to go to the 
church, and bring his wdfe home. When he got 
there he found that the service was not over. 
He gently opened the door of the church. As 
he did so he heard the minister talking about 
^^a burning fiery furnace.” This had a very 
strange effect upon him. He thought of his 
great wickedness, and trembled like a leaf. He 
slipped quietly into the church, and took a seat 
near the door. The minister was preaching 
about DanieFs three friends, who were cast into 
Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace. The baker was 
fearfully frightened. At the close of the sermon, 
according to the custom in that church, the min- 
ister asked any person who desired to be prayed 
for, to come up to the chancel. The baker was 
the first to go. We can imagine the surprise of 
his wife when she saw him there. When the 
church was out, he walked back with his wife. 
On reaching home he begged her pardon for his 
cruel treatment of her, and asked her to pray 


186 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


with him. She did so, and he soon became a 
Christian. 

And there was this strange thing to mention in 
connection with this story : the minister, who 
preached that night, was not the pastor of the 
church, but a stranger who was supplying for 
him. It was the well-known Rev. John Fletcher 
of Madely. He had prepared himself to preach 
on another subject that night. But on reaching 
the church, he had entirely forgotten the text, 
and the subject on which he had intended to 
preach. He was troubled to know what to do. 
He lifted up his heart in prayer to God, and ask- 
ed for direction. And while they were singing 
the opening hymn, the thought came into his 
mind, to preach about Nebuchadnezzar^s furnace 
and the three men who were cast into it. And 
this led to that bakeFs conversion. 

How interesting it is, to think how strong 
God made that brave woman, under those trying 
circumstances, and what a blessing followed from 
it, both to herself and her husband. 

The first wonderful thing about the eagle is its 
strength. 


THE EAGLE. 


187 


Die second wonderful thing about the eagle is — 

ITS SIGHT. 

If you and I were walking out at noonday, and 
should attempt to look up towards the sun, we 
should find its light too strong for us, and we 
should be obliged to shut our eyes, or to put our 
hands over them, to protect them from its glare. 
But it is very different with the eagle. It can 
rise from its nest at noon^ and go soaring up to- 
wards the sun. It can go on, rising higher and 
higher, and yet all the time be gazing steadily 
at the full-orbed splendor which is shining 
round it. We watch the noble bird till it has soar- 
ed quite out of our sight. We cannot see that 
eagle any more. And yet, if in the field, far be- 
low where we are, there is a little hen, walking 
about, the eagle will see it, from its towering 
height, and swooping down on the poor creature, 
will make a meal of it. The eagle is wonderful 
in its sight. And it is God who gives to the 
eagle this power of seeing. 

And if we ask Him, God will do the same for us. 
I do not mean by this, that God will give to our 
bodily eyes such wonderful sight as the eagle 


188 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


has. We do not need this, and it would do us 
no good if we had it. God has not promised to 
give us this kind of sight. What we most need 
is sight for the eyes of our minds, or souls. I 
mean by this, the power to understand the truths 
of the Bible : so that we may see, and know what 
our sins are, the danger into which they have 
brought us, and how, through Jesus, we may 
be pardoned, and have grace to serve Him faith- 
fully in this life, and be happy with Him for- 
ever in the life to come. This is eye-sight more 
wonderful than that which the eagle has j and God 
can give us just this kind of eye-sight. David was 
seeking for this when he offered such prayers as 
these : That which I see not, teach thou me.’^ 
Open mine eyes that I may behold wondrous 
things out of Thy law.^^ And to have our eyes 
opened in this way, or to have spiritual eye-sight 
given to us, is the greatest blessing we can ask 
of God, or that He can give to us. 

I have only one story for this part of our ser- 
mon. It shows us the kind of sight which God 
gives to His people, and the good effect which it 
has upon them. We may call it — 


189 


\ 

THE EAGLE. 

THE YOUNG GIRL^S SIGHT, OR ABOUT THE HEN 
AND THE EGG. 

A young man from a town in England went 
over to Paris, to learn the French language and 
to finish his education. He spent several years 
there, and became acquainted with a number of 
gentlemen who were infidels. At home he had 
been taught by his mother to read the Bible, and 
to believe its teachings. But, after hearing what 
those Frenchmen had to say about it, he gave 
away his Bible, and became an infidel. 

Shortly after his return home, he was invited 
to spend an evening with an intelligent family in 
their neighborhood. There was a large company 
present, and different sets of them were amusing 
themselves in various ways. 

As this young man was walking through the 
parlor, he saw two young girls, one about twelve, 
and the other about fifteen or sixteen years old, 
sitting in a bay window, earnestly engaged in 
reading. Going up to them, he said: ‘^Well, 
young ladies, what novel is that you are read- 
ing 


190 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


It is not a novel, sir/^ said the elder 
girl. We are reading God^s book, the 
Bible.'' 

^^0, then, do you believe there is a God?" 
asked the young man. The girls looked at each 
other in astonishment. Then the elder girl said 
to him ; And is it possible, sir, that you don't 
believe it, too?" 

used to believe it once," he said, ^^but after 
living in Paris, and studying science, and phil- 
osophy, and mathematics, I learned that this is 
all a mistake. There is no God ! " 

I never was in Paris," said the young girl, 
and never studied those important things that 
you speak of. I only know my catechism and 
my Bible. But since you are so learned, may I 
ask you a question ? " 

Certainly. Just as many questions as you 
please." 

You say there is no God. Now, suppose 
there was an egg here, could you tell me where 
it came from ? " 

^^What a funny question! Why, of course the 
egg comes from a hen." 


THE EAGLE. 


191 


And which of them existed first, the egg or 
the hen 1 ” 

I really don^t know what you mean by this 
question. I suppose, of course, the hen existed 
firstj.” 

Well, that must have been a hen that did 
not come from an egg. Can you tell me where 
that hen came from 1 

‘^Beg your pardon. Miss. I was mistaken. 
Of course the egg existed first.” 

Then that must have been an egg that did 
not come from a hen. Well, where did that first 
egg come from ? ” 

The young man got excited, and said ; 
‘^What^s the use of asking such questions as 
these ? ” 

The use is just this,” said the young girl. 

If the first hen did not come from an egg, as 
other hens do, then somebody must have made' 
it ; that somebody must be God. If you cannot 
explain how the first hen, or the first egg, exist- 
ed without God, can you explain how the world 
existed without God ? ” 

That is a question which all the infidels in the 


192 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


world cannot answer. The young man had 
nothing more to say. He turned away from the 
girls, took his hat, and went home. 

Now that young girl, like the eagle in tho air, 
had a wonderful sight, only of a different kind 
from that which the eagle has. God had opened 
the eyes of her soul, to see what that young man, 
with all his education and learning, could not see 
at all. And that is the sight which we all need, 
and should earnestly desire to have. And if, 
with all our hearts, we ask God for it. He will 
certainly give it to us. The second wonderful 
thing about the eagle is its sight. 

The third wonderful thing about the eagle is — 
ITS TRAINING. 

Our Infant Schools and Kindergartens, are 
places in which young children are taught, or 
trained to know and serve God. And the young 
eagles, in their nests, have a remarkable sort of 
training which they go through. This training 
we see in the efforts which the parent eagles 
make to teach them how to fly, so that when 
they grow up, and have to leave their nest, 


THE EAGLE. 


193 


they may know how to take care of them- 
selves. 

If you and I could stand somewhere in sight 
of an eaglets nest, and watch the parent birds 
training their yoimg ones to fly, this is what we 
should see. The time has come when the young 
must be taught to fly. Their parents wish to 
show them how, and they do it in this way. 
They shake their wings over the nest, to wake 
up their yoimg ones. Then they fly about, very 
near the nest, to show their children how to fly. 
And then, by sounds, and motions, which the 
young birds understand, they call on them to 
come out of their nest, and learn to fly. When 
the young eagles come out, and begin to use their 
wings, the parent birds keep close to them, and 
watch them carefully. If one of the young eagles 
does not use his wings right, and is beginning to 
fall, the mother bird flies under it, gets it on her 
back, and takes it to the nest. Then the mother 
tries again with that bird, and keeps on trying, 
till the young one succeeds in learning how to 
fly. This is the training which the young eagles 

have to go through. 

13 


194 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


And God compared the training which He 
gave to the children of Israel, to this which the 
young eagles receive, when He said : As the 
eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her 
young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, 
beareth them on her wings j so have I done for 
my people Israel.’^ 

And so he does for all His people. While we 
are in this world, we are in God^s school. He is 
training us, and teaching us, that we may know 
how to love and serve Him here, and be happy 
with Him forever in heaven. 

Wken God was leading the children of Israel 
through the wilderness, all that He did to them 
was to train them to be ready to go in and pos- 
sess the good land of Canaan, which He had pre- 
pared for them. And so, all that God is doing 
for us in this world, is to train us for heaven. 
And this is what the apostle Paul means when he 
says that, ^^God is making aU things work to- 
gether for good to them that love Him.” 

Here are some illustrations of the way in 
which God does this. Our first incident may be 
called — 


THE EAGLE. 


195 


A LESSON FROM THE VINE. 

A faithful minister of the Gospel called one 
day, to visit a member of his church, who had 
lately met with a great trial, and was very im- 
patient under it, and complained of being hardly 
dealt with. On reaching the house of his friend, 
the servant said that her master was working in 
the garden. On going there, the minister found 
his friend engaged in trimming a vine, the leaves 
and branches of which had grown too thick 
and close. After a few kind words spoken to 
him, the minister asked him what he was doing. 

find,^’ said he, that owing to the late 
rains, the branches and leaves of this vine have 
grown so much, as to prevent the rays of the sun 
from reaching and ripening the grapes. So I 
am pruning the vine and taking away these 
leaves, that the rays of the sun may be able to 
reach and ripen the grapes that are growing upon 
it.’^ 

Very good,” said the minister; ^^and now, 
my friend,” he went on to say, don^t you 
know that we Christians are all vines in God’s 


196 


BIBLK ANIMALS. 


garden ? And that when He sends trials or 
afflictions upon us, as He has lately done to 
you, He is only doing for us just what you are 
doing for that vine. He is pruning us, and 
taking away unnecessary leaves in order that the 
fruits of the Spirit may ripen better in our 
hearts and lives.” 

Thank you, sir, for this lesson,” said the 
minister's friend. I never thought of that 
before. And now I won’t complain of God’s 
dealings with me any more.” 

This is a good lesson from the gardener and 
his work. And we may get another from the 
sculptor and his works. 

A sculptor is one who works in stone. He 
takes blocks of marble or other stone, and makes 
busts, or figures of men or women out of them. 
When the sculptor has a block of marble before 
him, with his mallet or hammer in one hand, 
— and his chisel in the other, he will go to work 
upon it. Day after day, for weeks, and months, 
he will keep on pounding and chiselling, till at 
last he brings forth out of that unshapely mass 
of stone, the beautiful figure of a man or woman. 


THE EAGLE. 


197 


And this illustrates what God is doing in train- 
ing us for heaven. The afflictions and trials which 
we meet with in this life are like the mallet and 
chisel of the sculptor in God^s hand, and by 
them He is making us what he wishes us to 
be. 

Our next story may be called — 

A LESSON FROM THE SCULPTOR. 

This story refers to a good Christian mother. 
She had been visited with a long and painful 
illness, which she bore with great patience and 
cheerfulness. Her sufferings were so great at 
times, as to make it very trying to her family 
to witness them, and they could not keep from 
weeping. 

One day, when her daughter was waiting on 
her, she was so distressed at the sight of her 
mother^s suffering, that she could not keep back 
the tears from flowing down her cheeks. 

When her mother saw those tears, she looked 
tenderly at her, and said : Don’t cry, my 
darling child. Remember I am in the loving 
Saviour’s hands ; and this is only the chiselling 


198 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


that He is giving me, to make me ready for 
heaven.’’ 

That good mother had learned well the lesson 
from the sculptor, and was making a proper use 
of it. 

When the sculptor is going on with his work, 
he never gives one blow with his maUet or chisel 
to the block of stone before him, but what he 
sees is necessary in order to accomplish the 
object he has in view. And it is just so with 
God— our great, heavenly Sculptor. 

I have only one other short story to use here. 
We may call it — 

THE SUCCESSFUL TRAINING OF A BOY. 

A little boy, about twelve years old, was 
tempted one day to pluck some cherries from a 
tree which his father had told him not to touch. 

You needn’t be afraid,” said his companion, 
who was standing near him. Your father is 
not here, and wont know anything about it. 
And if he should find it out, he is too good to 
hurt you.” 

Yes,” said the brave little fellow. I know 


THE EAGLE. 


199 


it, and that’s the very reason why I wont take 
any. He wouldn’t hurt mCj but it would hurt 
hinij to know that I didn’t mind him.” That 
boy had been properly trained, and he was mak- 
ing a right use of his training. 

And so we see that the third wonderful thing 
about the eagle is its training. 

And then, the fourth wonderful thing about the 
eagle, is its safety. 

I refer especially here to the safety which the 
eagle finds in its nest. This is generally built 
on the top of a steep moimtain peak, so far up as 
to be out of the reach of harm or danger. Other 
birds do not visit the eagle’s nest ; while animals 
and men find it almost impossible to climb up the 
tall peak to the spot where its nest is built. 
And so this noble bird can sit calmly on its nest, 
in the high place where it is built, and feel per- 
fectly safe there. Here is a short story to illus- 
trate this point. We may call it — 

THE eagle’s lesson TO A KING. 

There was a king once, who ruled over a large 
and powerful nation, and who was very rich. 


200 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


But the burden of cares connected with his king- 
dom made him so unhappy that his riches gave 
him very little comfort. He had heard of an old 
man, famous for his wisdom and piety, who lived 
as a hermit, all alone by himself, in a cave on 
the borders of a forest, some miles distant from 
the king^s palace. The king went to see him 
one day, and found him in his cave. 

Holy man,^^ said the king, have come to 
see you, and to ask if you can tell me how I 
may be happy ? ’’ 

Without making any reply, the wise old man 
led the king along a rough path till he brought 
him in front of a very high, perpendicular rock, 
on the top of which, an eagle had built her nest. 

Pointing to it, he asked : Do you know why 
the eagle builds her nest so high ? 

Certainly,’^ said the king, she does it in 
order to be safe from harm and danger.^’ 

Then imitate that bird,” said the wise old 
man ; build your home in heaven ; let your 
treasure, and your heart be there, and then you 
will be safe and happy.” 

That was good advice to the king, and it is 


THE EAGLE, 


201 


good advice for us all. When we think of the 
safety of the eagle, in its nest, far up the moun- 
tain's side, we see in it a good illustration of the 
safety which attends us, if we are true servants 
of God. This safety is found in the presence 
and power of God, and His faithfulness in fulfill- 
ing His promises. Here are some of the prom- 
ises which God has given to show how safe His 
people are under his care. In one place we 
read : — The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in 
safety by him.” Deut. xxxiii. 12. The 91st 
Psalm seems to have been written on purpose to 
show how safe God^s people are. Here God 
says to each of them : Because thou hast made 
the Lord, even the most High, thy habitation ; 
there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any 
plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall 
give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee 
in all thy ways.” With angels watching over 
us as our keepers, we must be safe indeed. 

There are many more promises of the same 
kind in the Bible, but these are enough. 

And then we find in the Bible interesting 
illustrations of the safety which God’s people 


202 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


find in Him. Look at Abraham. Four great 
kings were offended at him once for something 
that he had done, and he was very much afraid 
of them. But God said to him, Fear not, 
Abraham, I am thy shield.” With God for our 
shield, how safe we are ! God would not let 
those kings do anything to hurt Abraham. 

How safe Daniel was even in the den of lions, 
because God was his shield ! And how safe his 
three friends were, though they were cast into 
NebuchadnezzaFs fiery furnace. God was their 

shield there, and so the flames could not hurt 

/ 

them. 

And here are some short illustrations outside 
of the Bible. The first may be called — 

PROTECTED FROM A ROBBER. 

An interesting Christian young girl was con- 
fined for several years to a sick bed. She was 
generally left by herself all night. On one occa- 
sion, about midnight, she was lying awake on 
her bed. The rest of the family were asleep in 
their own rooms. She saw the door of her room 
open, and a robber came in. He stopped a mo- 


THE EAGLE. 


203 


ment on entering. Her little lamp was shining 
on them both, from the stand by her bed-side. 
He looked at the young girl, and was surprised 
to find her awake, and yet perfectly calm. She 
uttered no cry or scream, but as the robber stood 
there, looking at her, she simply raised her hand, 
with her finger pointing towards heaven, and 
said : Man, do you know that God is looking 

at you ? ’’ 

The man stood still for a moment, and then, 
without speaking a word, quietly turned round 
and went out of the house. 

The God of Abraham was the shield of that 
sick girl, and we see how safe she was under 
His protection ! 

Our next story may be called — 

SAFE WITH FATHER. 

On one occasion there had been heavy rains 
in a certain neighborhood. These rains had 
caused dangerous floods, which were sweeping 
through that part of the country. A laboring 
man, who lived in a lonely cottage with his little 
boy about seven years old, woke at midnight and 


204 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


found the water coming into the cottage. Then 
he got up and dressed himself and his little boy, 
and started to go to the house of a friend, about 
a mile off. They had to walk through the water 
nearly all the way, and at times it was up to the 
little boy^s waist. On reaching the house of 
their friend, the father told about the difficulty 
they had met with in getting there. On hearing 
this, the mother of that family laid her hand on 
little Johnny^s head, and said : ^^Well, my boy, 
weren^t you afraid in going through the water ? 

Not at all,” said the brave little fellow, for 
1 was walking by the side of father. He had 
hold of my hand, and I knew he wouldn^t let the 
water drown me.” And this is just the way we 
should feel towards our heavenly Father. He is 
always at our side. He has our hand in His, 
and tMs is what makes us safe. 

I have only one other short illustration. We 
may call it — 

THE MESSENGER OF GOD. 

A good man, who had served God for many 
years, was sitting one day, with several other 


THE EAGLE. 


205 


persons, eating a lunch on a bank very near a 
deep mining pit. He was the nearest of them 
all to the mouth of the pit. As he sat there eat- 
ing, a little bird came and fluttered in his breast, 
and gently pecked at his shoulder, and then flew 
away. Presently it came again, and did the 
same thing. Then the old man said, ^H’ll follow 
you, little birdie, and sqe where you came from.^’ 
He rose to follow the bird, and while he was 
away, the bank of the pit fell down into the 
mine, and those who had been sitting by him 
were carried with it and killed. God knew the 
danger to which that faithful servant of His was 
exposed, and He made that little bird His mes- 
senger to save him. 

The fourth thing for which the eagle is won- 
derful, is its safety. 

Where is our text to-day? Prov. xxx. 19. 
What the words of the text ? The way of the 
eagle in the air is wonderful.’^ What is the ser- 
mon about ? The eagle and its wonders. How 
many wonderful things about the eagle did we 
speak of? Four. In the first place it is won- 
derful for what ? For its- strength. In the sec- 


20G 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


ond place for what? For its sight. In the 
third place for what ? For its training. And in 
the fourth place for what ? For its safety. 

David^s prayer to God was, Open thou mine 
eyes that 1 may behold wondrous things out of 
thy law/^ Ps. cxix. 18. This is a good prayer 
for us all to offer. And then let us pray that 
God may help us both to perceive and know 
what things we ought to do, and also to have 
grace and power faithfully to perform the same.’^ 
Then we shall be God^s loving servants, and like 
the eagle, we shall have wonderful strength, and 
sight, and training, and safety. 


The following are some of the references to 
the eagle in the Bible : 

The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from 
far, as swift as an eagle flieth. Deut. xxviii. 49. 

As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her 
young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, 
beareth them on her wings. So the Lord alone did 
lead him, and there was no strange God with him. 
Deut. xxxii. 11, 12. 

They passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle 
that hasteth to the prey. Job ix. 26. 

Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and 


THE EAGLE. 


207 


make her nest on high ? She dwelleth and ahideth 
on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong 
place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her 
eyes behold afar off. Job xxxix. 27-30. 

Kiches certainly make themselves wings j they fly 
away as an eagle toward heaven. Prov. xxiii. 5. 

The way of an eagle in the air is wonderful. Prov. 
XXX. 19. 

O, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocks j 
though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the 
eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the 
Lord. Jer. xlix. 16. 

Thus saith the Lord, a great eagle with great 
wings, full of feathers, which had divers colors, came 
unto Lebanon, and^took the highest branch of the 
cedar. Ezek. xvii. 3. 

Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though 
thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring 
thee down, saith the Lord. Obadiah, 4. 

Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how 
I bare you on eagle’s wings, and brought you to my- 
self. Exodus xix. 4. 

Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, who satisfleth thy 
mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed 
like the eagle’s. Psal. ciii. 5. 

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their 
strength ; they shall mount with wings, as eagles ,* 
they shall run, and not be weary j and walk, and not 
faint. Isaiah xl. 31. 


VIII. 


THE ANT. 

“ Go to th^e ant, thou sluggard / consider her ways, and be 
wise.” — Proverbs vi. 6. 


Our subject to-day is the ant. The ant is one 
of the most wonderful of insects, and insects are 
in many ways the most wonderful of aU God^s 
creatures j there are more wonders about the in- 
sect world than about any other ; God seems to 
have provided for these little creatures the most 
marvellous means of getting on in life. Their 
instincts, their principles, their powers of rea- 
soning make them even more wonderful than the 
larger animals. 

The celebrated naturalist, Sir John Labbock, 
has recently written a wonderful book, entitled. 
Wasps, Ants and Bees,” in which very many 

interesting and curious incidents are given of the 
( 208 ) 


THE ANT 


209 


wonderful habits of these little creatures. One of 
these stories is as follows. 

An old friend of mine told me that being at a 
friend^s house one dry summer, when all the field " 
flowers were nearly scorched up, he saw thous- 
ands of bees busy in a field of clover then in 
bloom. 

I wish my bees were here,^’ said my friend. 

Probably they are,^’ replied the gentleman. 

What, at forty miles distance ? 

Yes,” said his friend. On your return 
home, dredge the backs of your bees with flour 
as they issue from the hives in the morning, and 
we shall see.” 

This was done, and his friend wrote to him 
directly: There are plenty of your white jacket 
bees here in the clover.” 

But whatever is the fact v/ith bees, ants follow 
their noses much more than their eyes. In my 
garden I saw a train of ants ascending an apple 
tree, go up by one track, and descend by another. 
As in ascending they passed between two small 
shoots that sprung from the bole, I stopped their 

passage with a piece of bark. The ants did not 
14 


210 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


see this obstruction with their eyes, but ran 
bump against it, and stood still, astonished. 
Soon a crowd of them had thus been suddenly 
stopped, and were anxiously searching about for 
a passage. By various successive starts forward, 
they eventually got around the obstruction, and 
reached the track on the other side. The line 
of scent was renewed, and thenceforward, on ar- 
riving at the barricade, they went, without a 
moment^s hesitation, by the circular track. I 
then took my penknife, and pared away a piece 
of the outer bark on the open bole where the ants 
were descending. The effect was the same. The 
scent being taken away, the ants came to a dead 
stand, and there was the same spasmodic attempt 
to regain the road, which being effected in the 
same way, the scent was carried over the 
shaven part of the bark, and the train ran on as 
freely as before. 

The ant is a Bible insect. There are two short 
passages in the Old Testament, both found in 
the Book of Proverbs, around which an animated 
controversy has long raged. The first is found 
in chap. vi. 6-8 : 


THE ANT, 


211 


Go to tlie ant, thou sluggard ; consider her 
ways, and be wise : 

Which, having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 
^^Provideth her meat in the summer, and 
gathereth her food in the harvest.’’ 

The second passage is as follows : 

There be four things which are little upon 
the earth, but they are exceeding wise. 

The ants are a people not strong, yet they 
prepare their meat in the summer.” 

The Rev. J. G. Wood, in his Chapter on 
the Ant,” in his book on Bible Animals, says : 

It has been objected to this passage ; that 
the ant is a camiverous insect, and therefore 
could not gather her food in the harvest, and 
that the very nature of that food would prevent 
it from being laid up in store.” 

But the writer of the Book of Proverbs was 
right when he alluded to the vegetable stores in 
the nest, and only spoke the truth when he wrote 
about the ant that was exceeding wise.” Any 
one who wishes to test the truth of his words, 
can easily do so by watching the first ants’ nest 
which he finds j the species of ant not being of 


212 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


much consequence. The nests of the white ant are 
perhaps the best suited for investigation ; first, 
because the insect and its habitation are com- 
paratively large j and second, because so much 
of the work is done above ground. 

The most wonderful ant in the world is one 
which hitherto is only known in some parts of 
America. Its scientific name is atta malefacienSy 
and it has been called by various popular names, 
such as mound-making ant, and agricultural-ant, 
on account of its habite j the stinging-ant, on 
account of the pungency of its venom. This 
characteristic has gained for it the scientific 
name of malefaciens or villanous. 

The economical habits of this wonderful 
insect far surpass anything that Solomon has 
written of the ant, and it is not too much to say 
that if any of the Scriptural writers has ventured 
to speak of an ant that not only laid up stores of 
grain, but actually prepared the soil for the crop, 
planted the seed, kept the ground free from 
weeds, and finally reaped a harvest, the state- 
ment would have been utterly disbelieved, and 
the credibility — not only of that particular 


THE ANT, 


213 


writer, but of the rest of the Scripture — severely 
endangered. 

We all know that Solomon^s statement con- 
cerning the ant has afforded one of the stock argu- 
ments against the truth of the Scriptures 5 and 
here we have his statement not only corroborated 
to the v6ry letter by those who have visited 
Palestine for the express purpose of investigating 
its zoology, but far surpassed by the observations 
of a scientific man, who has watched the insects 
for a series of years. 

These ants of Palestine belong to the same 
genus as the agricultural ant, as may be inferred 
from the above description. 

The habits of ants vary greatly, according to 
their species, and the climate in which they 
live. All, however, are wonderful creatures. 
And whether we look at their varied architec- 
ture, their mode of procuring food, or the system 
of slave-catching adopted by some, or whether 
we look at the milking of aphides practised by 
others, or at their astonishing mode of communi- 
cating thought to each other, and their perfect 
system of discipline, we feel how true were the 


214 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


words of the Eoyal naturalist: That the ants are 
little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise.’^ 

There is one point in their economy in which 
all known species agree. Only those which are 
destined to become perfectly developed males 
and females attain the winged state before they 
assume the transitional or pupal condition. 
Each spins around itself a slight but tough 
silken cocoon, in which it lies secure during the 
time which is consumed in developing its full 
perfection of form. When it is ready to emerge, 
the laborer ants aid in freeing it from the cocoon, 
and in a short time it is ready to fly. 

The males of these winged ants rise into the 
air, seeking their mates, and as they are not 
strong on the wing, and are liable to be tossed 
about by every gust of wind, vast numbers of 
them perish. Whole armies of these ants fall 
into the water and are drowned, or devoured by 
fish, while the insectivorous birds hold great fes- 
tivals on so abundant a supply of food. As soon 
as they are mated, they bend their wings for- 
ward, snap them ojff, and pass the rest of their 
lives on the ground. 


THE AX7\ 


215 


In consequence of the destruction that takes 
place among the winged ants, the Arabs have a 
proverb which is applied to those who are ambi- 
tious : Though God purposes the destruction 
of an ant, he permits wings to grow upon her.^’ 
Beyond the knowledge of the astonishing fact of 
the ant in the East laying up food for winter, 
modem research has proved the wisdom and in- 
stinct of these little creatures to be far in ad- 
vance of that of any other known insect, not 
even excepting the bee. Their skill in archi- 
tecture is wonderful and varied. Some species 
build their labyrinths of bits of kneaded clay, 
arched and fitted like the most skilful masonry. 
Others employ rafters and beams for their roofs, 
and others excavate the trunks of trees. They 
fortify their passages against rain and enemies ; 
closing them every night, and opening them in 
the morning. Like the bees and wasps, their 
communities are composed of males, females, and 
neuters, the latter being both workers and rulers. 
Those receiving the eggs, watch over them with 
unceasing care, and bring the larvae to enjoy 
the heat of the sun, then carry them back to 


216 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


their chambers as the day declines. They 
gather food for them, and supply them incessant- 
ly. They tear the cases away from the cocoons 
when the perfect insect is ready to emerge. 
They spread and dry the wings, which the males 
and females alone possess, and they only in the 
perfect state. They afterwards tend the females, 
feed and wash them, and keep continual guard 
over them. 

They rear myriads of aphides, or small plant 
parasites, from the egg, to supply food for the 
yoimg, and they keep them like cows. 

Some species, like the Amazon ants, organize 
regular marauding expeditions, attacking the 
colonies of other ants, and carrying off the larvae 
to be their slaves. 

In fact, had not the habits of the ants been 
verified by the observations of the most careful 
and truthful naturalists, they would have been 
incredible. Truly, indeed, did Agur pronounce 
them to be exceeding wise.’^ 

So much then for the history of the ant, this 
wonderful Bible insect. 


THE ANT, 


217 


Let us now find out the lessons which we leam 
from this little monitor. 

I. 

The first lesson we learn from the ant is the 
lesson of what little people can do. They are a 
very little race of people, something like the 
pygmies found in Lilliputia, according to the 
story of Gulliver^s Travels. The ants are the 
littlest kind of insects, the very weakest speci- 
men of the animal creation which can be found. 
They are so small that we can hardly call them 
animals, and yet we are told that they are very 
wise. It is • not big people that are necessarily 
great or wise. Wisdom is a matter of quality, 
not of quantity. 

When we are young we are a people not 
strong; but we can surely do something our- 
selves while we are little ; we don’t have to wait 
until we are grown. Our first lesson, then, 
is from what the ants are : they are little 
people — a people not strong — and yet they are 
wise. 

If the ants were to wait until they grew up to 


218 


BIBLE ANIMALb\ 


be big, before they began to be wise, they 
would always remain little and foolish. 

I suppose the little baby ants grow up into 
what they call big ants 5 but then they are all 
little, whether we call them little or big. 

When an ant sees one of us walking along, we 
must look like moving mountains ; and the 
garden where his ant-hill is, must seem to him 
as our world. The ants are a people not strong, 
but they do what they can. 

If you were to study out an ant-hill, you 
would find that it is built just like a city. There 
are streets in it, and gates ; and it is full of little 
holes — where the different ants live — and these 
are like our houses. 

They build their cities according to some plan 
of their own, and they have their store-houses 
and places of supplies — in which they keep their 
food for the winter — just as we find food kept in 
the store-room of some fort. 

I was reading the other day a story about 
what a boy could do ; which showed that it was 
his own confidence in himself, which secured for 
him his future. 


THE ANT. 


219 


Sir/^ said a boy, coming to one of the wharfs 
in Boston, and addressing a well-known mer- 
chant, sir, have you any berth for me on your 
ship ? I want to earn something. 

What can you do ? asked the gentleman. 

I can try my best to do whatever I am put 
to,’^ answered the boy. 

What have you done 1 

I have sawed and split all mother^s wood for 
nigh two years.’’ 

What have you not done ? ” asked the 
gentleman, who was a queer sort of a ques- 
tioner. 

^^Well, sir, I have not whispered once in 
school for a whole year,” answered the boy, 
after a moment’s pause. 

That’s enough,” said the gentleman ; you 
may ship aboard this vessel, and I hope to see 
you master of her some day. A boy who can 
master a wood-pile, and bridle his tongue, must 
be made of good stuff.” 

Another illustration of this same principle that 
little people can accomplish great things, is 
found in the life of the celebrated missionary, 


220 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


Dr. William Carey, the keynote of whose life 
was the motto, 

CAN PLOD.^^ 

The Kev. Dr. William Carey, who was the 
originator of the Baptist Missionary Society of 
England, and the great pioneer of mission work 
in India, was born in obscurity. His father was 
a poor man, and could afford him but little assist- 
ance. At an early age he was apprenticed to 
a shoemaker, and even after he was licensed to 
preach, in consequence of his poverty, he con- 
tinued to work at his trade. Notwithstanding 
the difficulties which surrounded him, he was 
diligent in the improvement of his mind, and 
embraced every opportunity which presented 
itself for the acquirement of useful knowledge. 

When he first proposed his plans to his father 
in reference to his great missionary work, he 
replied — 

William, are you mad ? And ministers 
and Christian people replied to his proposition. 

If the Lord should make windows in heaven, 
then might this be.^^ 


THE ANT. 


221 


His discouragements in first entering upon his 
work in India where appalling. When he found 
himself without a roof to cover his head, with- 
out bread for his sickly wife . and four children, 
he made up his mind to build a hut in the wild- 
erness, and live as the natives did around him. 

There are many serpents and tigers, but Christ 
has said that his followers shall take up serpents,” 
said the undaunted man. 

God did not call him to this sacrifice, but to 
others, which required wonderful courage and 
persistence, before he achieved his final success, 
which has made him famous the world over. 

What was the secret that enabled the shoe- 
maker^s apprentice to become one of the most dis- 
tinguished men of the age % What brilliant gift 
raised him from an obscure position to one of 
honor and fame, as the author of grammars and 
dictionaries, translations of the Bible and other 
books ? He either translated or assisted in the 
completion of twenty-seven versions of the scrip- 
tures, requiring a knowledge of as many lan- 
guages or dialects. 

He betrays the secret* In giving an estimate 


222 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


of his own character, he speaks of himself with 
Christian humility, but with full consciousness of 
the honor put upon him in the wonderful results 
he has been permitted to achieve. While not 
laying claim to brilliant gift or genius, he says : 

I can plod — I can persevere.^’ 

He does not say, as we see too often nowa- 
days, I could always manage to get along, and 
keep up with my class in some way, without 
much study. I could jump at the meaning of my 
lesson j or I can catch up a trade without years 
of hard labor,^^ but, I can persevere.” 

Plodding boys, hold up your heads ! You 
may seem to be left behind in the race by 
your so-called smart ” companions. Plod on. 
Your progress may be slow, but do not be dis- 
couraged. Remember, the race is not always 
to the swift.” 

Now, my dear children, such stories as these — 
about little people, who are not very great or 
strong, and yet who accomplish good, show us 
that like the ants, we can become little and wise 
in doing well that which lies in our power. 

The first lesson then, from the ants, is found 


THE ANT. 


223 


in what they are. They are a people not strong, 
yet they are wise. 

II. 

The second lesson we learn from the ant is a 
lesson of industry. 

The ants prepare their meat. 

When a vessel goes to sea on a long voyage, 
the steward who has charge of all the provisions, 
puts plenty of prepared food on board, such as 
canned vegetables and fruits and salted meat and 
fish. Those are called prepared vegetables,” 
or prepared meats.” 

They are put up long before they are used, 
and are preserved from the air, and from all pos- 
sibility of decay. And so, too, when an army 
marches, there is one very important branch 
called the commissariat department. It is in 
charge of an officer called the quartermaster, 
and it is his duty to provide suitable food and 
provisions for the men and horses, and all the 
different parts of the army. This takes a great 
deal of planning and forethought. A quarter- 
master-general must see a long way ahead j he 


224 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


must not provide only for the day, or the week, 
or even the month to come j he must provide for 
months ahead. For if the men and the horses 
do not have food enough, they cannot march or 
fight, and there will surely be trouble. Just 
think, then, how very wise these little insignifi- 
cant ants must be, to think of the future in the 
way they do, and prepare for it when it is afar 
off. 

We know in an ant-hill, which is an ant-city, 
that they have soldiers, and policemen, and hard 
working day -laborers, whose business it is to go 
out and bring home food, and store it away in 
their barns for winter. In Africa, and in the 
Eastern countries, travellers who have watched 
all sorts of ants, tell us that sometimes different, 
tribes of ants have regularly pitched battles. 
They meet and fight by the thousands, and then 
the conquering army takes possession of the cap- 
tured city, and carries off the food that has been 
stored there, and makes slaves of the poor de- 
feated ants ; just in the way that Alexander the 
Great, or King Cyrus, or Julius Caesar, did with 
cities and men in their days. How very won- 


THE ANT 


225 


derful all this is ! How strange a thing it is to 
see all this system and forethought among such 
little bits of creatures as the* ants. This is one 
of the great works of the ants, then, to provide 
or prepare their food. They cannot work in the 
winter time. There is no food for them when 
the snow is on the ground, and so they plan for 
their underground cities in the summer, and 
send out their thousands of day-laborers to hunt 
for little particles of food to store away in their 
granaries, for the winter; just in the way in 
which Joseph sent out the Egyptians to gather 
food in the years of plenty, before the days of 
famine came. And here it is that the lesson 
comes home to us all. We must prepare for our 
future ; we must not live only for the present. 
And there are three kinds of meat we must get, 
for meat means strength, you know, and these 
are : meat for the body, meat for the mind, and 
meat for the soul. 

Here is a story which shows us how it is that 
all growth in character comes slowly, but surely, 
by little habits : 

A boy watched a large building, as the work- 
15 


226 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


men from day to day carried up the brick and 
mortar. 

^^My son/’ said his father, ^^you seem taken 
with the bricklayers. Do you think of learning 
the trade ? ” 

No, sir j I was thinking what a little thing a 
brick is, and what great houses are built by lay- 
ing one brick upon another.” 

Very true, my son; never forget it. So it 
is in all great works. All your learning is one 
lesson added to another. If a man could walk 
all around the world, it would be by putting one 
foot before another. Your whole life will be 
made up of one moment upon another. Drops 
added to drops make the ocean. 

Learn from this not to despise little things. 
Be not discouraged by great labors ; they be- 
come easy if divided into parts. You could not 
jump over a mountain, but step by step takes 
you to the other side. Do not fear, therefore, to 
attempt great things. Always remember that 
the large, large btiilding went up only one brick 
upon another. 

The ants teach us, then, the great lesson in 


THE ANT. 


227 


life of preparing for the future, the lesson of in- 
dustry. Now then, my dear children, try for 
this good habit j try to have it in your life, pray 
for it, seek to get good habits for life. Be as 
busy as the hard working bee is, for the food it 
gathers from flower to flower ; or as busy as the 
industrious little ant is, who tries so hard to pre- 
pare its own meat. The ants are a people not 
strong, yet they prepare their meat in the sum- 
mer.” 


III. 

The third lesson we learn from the little ants 
is the lesson of perseverance. 

Once upon a time, according to an old fable, 
there was a merry grasshopper who chirruped 
away and hopped about through the grass all 
summer as happy as he could be. 

A big bumble-bee saw him, and said : Look 
out for the winter, my friend, or youfll starve.” 

Then a hard-working ant asked him to help 
him roll along a great big piece of bread which 
he had found. 

Not I,” said the grasshopper j Fm no fool. 


228 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


You don^t catch me working like a slave, with 
such lovely sunshine as this all about us.” 

But there^s a winter coming on,” said the 
ant ; and what will you do then, with the cold 
weather, and the snow on the ground ? ” 

Oh, ril wait till it comes,” replied the 
grasshopper j and, besides, I never saw a 
winter, and I don’t believe it is as bad as people 
say.” And away he jumped over the tall grass. 

But at last the leaves fell, and it grew very 
cold, and the snow came, and the poor grasshopper 
had the rheumatism in his fine legs, and he did 
not know how he was to live. 

He went to the bee-hive, and begged them to 
take him in ; but they said they were all full in 
there, and had no room for loafers. 

Then he went to the ant-hill and tried to get 
in, but he was told at the door that they had no 
food to spare for those who would not work, and 
so the poor grasshopper died. 

The grasshopper died because he had no end or 
aim in life. He was not persevering ; but the 
bees lived on, because of their incessant perse- 


verance. 


THE ANT, 


229 


A lady once said of her boy : 

When our Tom was six years old, he went 
into the forest one afternoon to meet the hired 
man, who was coming home with a load of wood. 
The man placed Master Tommy on the top of 
the load, and drove homeward. Just before 
reaching the farm, the team went pretty briskly 
down a steep hill. 

When Tommy entered the house, his mother 
said : ^ Tommy, my dear, were you not frightened 
when the horses went trotting so swiftly down 
CrowHiUr 

^ Yes, mother, a little,^ replied Tom, hon- 
estly. ^ I asked the Lord to help me, and hung 
on like a beaver.^ 

Now, that was sensible in Tom, because he 
joined working to praying. Let his words 
teach us a life-lesson, in all our troubles. Let 
up pray and hang on like a beaver. By which 
I mean, that while you ask God to help you, you 
must help yourself with all your might. 

A gentleman travelling in the northern part of 
Ireland, heard the voices of children, and stop- 
ped to listen. 


230 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Finding the sound came from a small building 
used as a school-house, he drew near. As the 
door was open, he went in, and listened to the 
words the boys were spelling. 

One little fellow stood apart, looking very 
sad. 

Why does that boy stand there asked the 
gentleman. 

Oh, he is good for nothing,^’ replied the 
teacher. There’s nothing in him. I can make 
nothing out of him. He is the most stupid 
boy in the school.” 

The gentleman was surprised at his answer. 
He saw the teacher was so stern and rough that 
the younger and more timid were nearly 
crushed. After a few words to them, placing 
his hand on the noble brow of the little fellow 
who stood apart, he said : 

One of these days you may be a fine scholar. 
Don’t give up ; try, my boy, try.” 

The boy’s soul was aroused. His sleeping 
mind awoke. A new purpose was formed. 
From that hour he became anxious to excel. 
And he did become a fine scholar, and the 


THE ANT, 


231 


author of a well-known Commentary on the 
Bible ; a great and good man, beloved and hon- 
ored. It was Dr. Adam Clarke. 

The secret of his success is worth knowing. 

Don^t give up ; but try, my boy, try.” 

The third lesson which we learn from the 
ants, is the lesson of perseverance. 

IV. 

The fourth lesson which we learn from the 
ants, is the lesson of law and order. 

When the children of Israel were in Egypt, 
we read that they were compelled by their hard 
task-masters, to make bricks without straw ; 
they were sent over the country to gather 
stubble instead of straw. 

Now, it is very poor kind of brick which is 
made out of stubble. We read in the Book of 
Exodus that the children of Israel were in ^ evil 
case,’ when they were compelled to gather stub- 
ble instead of straw. 

And it is very much the same way with us 
through life ; if we want to have rich results in 
our lives, we must be careful about the details, just 


232 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


as the children of Israel were, when they were 
compelled to get whatever material they could, 
out of which to make their bricks. There is 
nothing like being careful, in the matter of the 
details of life. 

If we want to make our lives rich, and true, 
and strong, we must be careful what material we 
put into our lives. 

It will never do to make our bricks out of any 
stubble that we happen to find ; we must look out 
for that straw which will produce the strongest 
and best kind of brick. Mr. J. T. Field, the 
well-known author, writes in one place, what he 
would do if he were a boy again. He says : 

If I were a boy again, I would practise per- 
severance oftener, and never give a thing up be- 
cause it was hard or inconvenient to do it. If 
we want light we must conquer darkness. When 
I think of mathematics, I blush at the recollec- 
tion of how often I ^ caved in,^ years ago. There 
is no trait more valuable than a determination to 
persevere when the right thing is to be accom- 
plished. We .are all inclined to give up too 
easily in trying or unpleasant situations, and 


THE ANT. 


233 


the point I would establish with myself, if the 
choice were again within my grasp, would be 
never to relinquish my hold on a possible success, 
if mortal strength or brains in my case were ade- 
quate to the occasion. That was a capital lesson 
which Professor Faraday taught one of his stu- 
dents in the lecture-room, after some chemical 
experiments. The lights had been put out in the 
hall, and, by accident, some small article drop- 
ped on the floor from the professor’s hand. The 
professor lingered behind, endeavoring to pick it 
up. ^ Never mind,’ said the student. ^ It is of 
no consequence to-night, sir, whether we find it 
or no.’ ^ That is true,’ replied the professor j 
^ but it is of grave consequence to me, as a prin- 
ciple, that I am not foiled in my determination 
to find it.’ Perseverance can sometimes equal 
genius in its results. ^ There are only two crea- 
tures,’ says the Eastern proverb, ^ who can sur- 
mount the pyramids — the eagle and the snail.’ 

“ If I were a boy again, I would school myself 
into a habit of attention often er. I would let 
nothing come between me and the subject in hand. 
I would remember that an expert on the ice 


234 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


never tries to skate in two directions at once. 
One of our great mistakes, while we are young, 
is that we do not attend strictly to what we are 
about just then, at that particular moment. We 
do not bend our energies close enough to what 
we are doing or learning. We wander into a 
half-interest only, and so never acquire fully 
what is needful for us to become master of The 
practice of being habitually attentive is one easily 
obtained, if we begin early enough. I often hear 
grown-up people say : ^ I couldn^t fix my atten- 
tion on the sermon, or book, although I wished to 
do so.^ And the reason is, a habit of attention 
was never formed in youth. 

If I were to live my life over again, I would 
pay more attention to the cultivation of memory. 
I would strengthen that faculty by every possi- 
ble means and on every possible occasion. It 
takes a little hard work at first to remember 
things accurately : but memory soon helps itself, 
and gives very little trouble. It only needs 
early cultivation to become a power. Every- 
body can acquire it.’^ 

These, then, are the four lessons which we 


THE ANT, 


235 


learn from the ants, who are a people, not 
strong, yet who prepare their meat in the sum- 
mer. 

The first lesson we learn from the ants is : the 
lesson of what little people can do. 

The second lesson we learn, is the lesson of 
industry. 

The third lesson we learn is the lesson of per- 
severance. 

The fourth lesson we learn is the lesson of law 
and order. And in this way, the little insignifi- 
cant ant, which we can scarcely see except 
through a microscope, teaches us the four great 
lessons for our every-day work in life. 


THE BEAR. 


We come to-day to the subject of the Bear.^^ 
We always like to go to see animals in the Zoo- 
logical Gardens. There is something about ani- 
mals which is very attractive to us. Perhaps it 
is because we feel that in a certain way we are 
one with them ; perhaps it is because we see in 
the animals certain traits which we see and feel 
to be in ourselves. In this way we cannot help 
feeling that in some way they are our first 
cousins. 

This course of sermons is a sort of Moral 
Zoological Garden/^ and to-day we come to the 
lessons which we learn from the Bear. 

Bears are very curious animals j we can learn 
a great many lessons from the ways and habits 

of bears. Bears are what they call Planti- 
( 236 ) 


W% <1 







THE BEAR. 


237 


grade ” animals, that is, they place the whole of 
their feet upon the ground as they walk. 

Most parts of the globe are inhabited by some 
species of bear. They are nearly always found 
where the deep woods are. We have always 
called the bear a rude animal, and say of man 
that he is as cross as a bear.’^ But the bear, 
while he is not fond of miscellaneous society, is a 
devoted parent, and a model of parental responsi- 
bility. 

Sometimes the education of the bear is taken 
up by accomplished hands, and he turns out a 
capital pupil. 

There was a bear once which was kept by 
some students at Oxford, who was the most 
gentlemanly - specimen of his race on record. 
The students called him Tiglath Pieleser,^’ 
after the name of the Syrian monarch, but 
they always called him Tig.’^ He was a 
Syrian bear, the kind mentioned in the Book of 
Kings, as the destroyer of the children that 
mocked Elisha. Tig was taught to stand on his 
hind legs, and walk through the quadrangle of 
the University, decked in a cap and gown like 


238 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


the other students. He used to be invited to 
parties, where he would sit in a chair, and make 
himself very much at home j and he was particu- 
larly fond of ice-cream and beer. 

Tiglath Pieleser was a great character at Ox- 
ford, and lived in a yard where there was an 
eagle, a tortoise, and a monkey, for his com- 
panions. 

Tig did not enjoy their society, for the mon- 
key used to pull his ears and hair ; while the 
eagle, being unconversational in his habits, stood 
on the tortoise almost all the time, and beguiled 
the hours by trying to eat it. Finally, Tig could 
not stand his companions^ low habits, and he 
climbed over the fence and escaped through the 
streets of Oxford, where he did so much harm to 
the shopkeepers^ windows that he was ordered 
out of town, and sent to a Zoological Garden. 
This was too much for poor Tig, after having 
been an Oxford student, and in a month or two 
he died of a broken heart. 

Of all the bear tribe, the grizzly bear is the 
most dangerous. Our common black bear is a 
very knowing animal, but the bears which we 


THE BEAR. 


239 


read about in tbe Bible, are perhaps the fiercest 
of all the Bruin family. 

We read a great deal about the bear in the 
Bible. Sometimes the bear, not content with 
the fierce, wild animals which he can secure, de- 
scends to lower planes, and seizes upon goats and 
sheep in the pastures. This habit is referred to 
by David in his well-known speech to Saul, 
when the king was trying to dissuade him from 
going to fight Goliath — 1 Sam. vii. 33-36 — 
^^And Saul said to David, thou art not able to go 
against this Philistine to fight with him, for thou 
art but a youth, and he a man of war from his 
youth. And David said unto Saul, thy servant 
kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion 
and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock ; 
and I went out after him, and smote him, and de- 
livered it out of his mouth j and when he arose 
against me, I caught him by his beard, and 
smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew 
both the lion and the bear, and this uncircum- 
cised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing 
he hath defied the armies of the living God.” 

Though not generally apt to attack the human 


240 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


family, it will do so if first attacked, and then it 
becomes a most dangerous enemy. 

The prophet Amos, who was a husbandman, 
and knew the habits of bears, says in one place 
— Amos V. 18, 19 — Woe unto you that desire 
the day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? 
The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. 
As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met 
him ] or went into the house and leaned his hand 
on the wall, and a serpent bit him.^^ 

Another reference to the dangerous character 
of the bear, is made in 2 Kings ii. 23, 24, where 
we read the following words : And he went up 
from thence unto Bethel; and as he was going 
by the way, there came forth little children out 
of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him. 
Go up, thou bald head 1 go up, thou bald head 1 
And' he turned back, and looked on them, and 
cursed them in the name of the Lord. And 
there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, 
and tare forty and two children of them.” 

As the bear is not swift of foot, but rather 
clumsy in its movements, it cannot take nimbler 
animals in open chase. It prefers to lie in wait 


THE BEAR. 


241 


for them in the bushes, to strike them down with 
a sudden blow of its pawj a terrible weapon, 
which it can wield as effectually as the lion uses 
its claws. A reference to this habit of the bear 
is made in Lamentations of Jeremiah, iii. 10 — 
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and 
as a lion in secret places.^’ 

Harmless to man as it generally is, there are 
occasions in which it becomes terrible, and not 
seeking to avoid his presence, but even search- 
ing for him, and attacking him as soon as seen. 

In the proper seasons of the year, himters, or 
those who are travelling through those parts of 
the country infested by the bear, will sometimes 
find the cubs, generally two in number, their 
mother having left them in the den, while she 
has gone to search for food. 

To all animals that rear their young, says a 
writer on Natural History, ^4s given a sublime 
and almost supernatural courage in defending 
their offspring. And from the lioness, that 
charges at a host of armed men when her cubs 
are in danger, to the hen, which defies the soar- 
ing kite or the prowling fox ; or to the spider, 
16 


242 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


that will give up her life rather than abandon 
her yet unhatched brood, the same self-sacri- 
ficing spirit actuates them all.’^ 

That the sight of a bear bereaved of her 
young, was well known to both writers and con- 
temporary readers of the Old Testament, is evi- 
dent from the fact that it is mentioned by several 
writers, and always as a familiar illustration of 
furious anger. See for example 2 Sam. xvii. 8, 
when Hushai is dissuading Absalom from follow- 
ing the cautious counsel of Ahithopel : ^^For 
thou knowest thy father and his men, that they 
be mighty men of war, and they be chafed in 
their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in 
the field.” 

Solomon also, in the Proverbs, xvii. 12, uses 
the same image : Let a bear robbed of her 
whelps, meet a man, rather than a fool in his 
folly.” 

When a bear fights it delivers rapid strokes 
with its paws, tearing and rending away every- 
thing that it strikes. 

A blow from a beaFs paw has several times 
been known to strip the entire skin, together 


THE BEAR, 


243 


with the hair, from a man^s ^head, and when 
fighting with dogs it is known to tear its enemies 
open, as if each claw were a chisel. 

This mode of fighting is clearly alluded to by 
the prophet Hosea, who seems, from the graphic 
force of his sentences, to have been an actual 
spectator of such a combat : I will meet them 
as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and 
will rend the caul of their heart,’’ etc. — Hosea 
xiii. 8. 

That the bear was a well-known animal, both 
in the earlier and later times of the Scripture, is 
also evident from the fact that it was twice used 
as a symbol, exhibited to a Seer in a vision. 
The first of these passages occurs in the Book 
of Daniel, vii. 5, when the prophet is describing 
the wonderful vision of the four beasts : And 
behold ! another beast, the second like to a bear, 
and it raised itself up on one side, and it had 
three ribs in the mouth of it, between the teeth 
of it, and they said this unto it. Arise ! devour 
much flesh.” 

The second illustration occurs in the book of 
the Revelation of St. John: The seven-headed 


244 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


and ten crowned beast : having a form like that 
of a leopard, but feet like those of a bear.” 

Having now had something of the history and 
nature of the bear, let us learn the lessons which 
this Bible animal teaches us. 

We learn four lessons from the bear. 


I. 

First of all we learn the lesson of docility. 

Bears can very easily be taught. In the city 
of Berne, in Switzerland, there are a great many 
bears which are cared for at public expense. 
The name of the city, Berne, is taken from the 
Burgundian word for bear. Many hundred 
years ago a Burgundian Duke killed a bear on 
that spot 5 and when he founded the city, he 
named it Berne. As I looked at the statue one 
time, in the market-place, I found that there was a 
motto on it, which I put in my note-book. The 
motto is as follows : E. Bellua ccesa sit nomen 
urhiSy^ from a bear slain, let the city take its 
name.” 

Some time ago, when I was in Vermont, I was 
very much struck with a perfor min g bear that I 


THE BEAR, 


245 


saw in a certain town. Two men had charge of 
this hear. One of the men blew a bugle, and 
the other man led the bear and his dancing-pole, 
the bear performing all sorts of antics. He 
stood up on his hind legs, and danced, and drank 
beer, and ate pretzels, and did all sorts of 
strange things. 

The bears in Berne in the bear-pit are a great 
object of curiosity to visitors. They are 
taught all manner of tricks, and are very much 
sought after by the people who come to that 
place. 

By docility we mean the spirit of teachable- 
ness. We can never get on in life without a 
habit of docility : for we must be always learning 
from others if we want to succeed in life. The 
splendid horse who does such wonders in har- 
ness, the patient oxen with their yoke, the 
trained birds, and horses, and dogs which we see 
in many of the shows, all teach us that the first 
step towards success in life is the possession of 
the faculty of docility. 

Somebody has said that every person who 
would be happy in this world must keep two pet 


246 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


hears* They are called bear and forbear ; that 
is, each one of us, if we expect to have friends 
and happy homes, must learn to hear patiently 
unpleasant things, and forbear doing or saying 
things unpleasant to others. 

A gentleman was once making inquiries in 
Eussia about the method of catching bears in 
that country. 

He was told that to entrap them a pit was dug 
several feet deep, and after covering it over 
with turf, leaves, etc., some food was placed on 
top. The bear, if tempted by the bate, easily 
fell into the snare ; but, he added : 

If four or five happen to get in together, 
they all get out again.’^ 

How is that % asked the gentleman. 

They form a sort of ladder by stepping on each 
other^s shoulders, and thus make their escape.'^^ 
But how does the bottom one get out ? ” 

Ah ! these bears, though not possessing a 
mind and so id such as God has given us, can 
yet feel gratitude, and they wonT forget the one 
who has been the chief means of procuring their 
liberty. 


THE BEAR, 


247 


Scampering off, they bring the branch of a 
tree, which they let down to their poor brother, 
enabling him speedily to join them in the free- 
dom in which they rejoice.^’ 

Sensible bears, we should say, are a great ‘ 
deal better than some people we hear about, who 
never help anybody but themselves. 

V If dogs, and oxen, and horses could talk and 
tell all they know, would not some people be 
astonished ! 

If the horse could teU at night how many 
miles he had travelled, and how many blows his 
cruel driver had struck him, the whip would 
not be used quite as freely as it is. If the 
patient ox could come home and tell his owner 
just how he had been over-loaded, and 
yelled at, and beaten, and whipped about the 
eyes and ears by the cruel little wretch who was 
set to drive him, there would be likely to be a 
new driver the next day, or probably the little 
rascal might get a taste of his own cart- whip. 

Well, beasts cannot talk, but they can feel, 
and hear, and understand, a deal more than some 
suppose. They are given to us by God to serve 


248 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


US, and not to be abused, and he notices all that 
they suffer ; for God cares for oxen, and spar- 
rows, and ravens, as well as for men ; and if we 
serve God, and treat his creatures wisely, as old 
Eliphaz says, even the beasts of the field shall 
be at peace with us (Job v. 23), and we shall 
find that they can serve us in very many ways, 
as the following story will show. 

When the English steamer Eira was nipped 
in the polar ice in 1881, the crew of twenty-two 
men made their way over the ice to a point of 
land where they could find drift-wood for fuel. 
There they built a hut, but were short of meat. 
There were only bears for game, and in the 
three-months’ night of the Arctic winter, the bear 
and the ice were so much the same shade of 
white that the hunters could see him only a short 
distance away, and the bear stood the better 
chance to catch the hunters. Famine stared 
them in the face, and the men sat down and 
talked of what was to be done. 

^^ One that listened, and seemed as deeply con- 
cerned as any, was a dog. His name was Oscar. 
They did not know that he understood their talk, 


THE BEAR, 


249 


but presently he started up, and made them open 
the door of the hut and let him out. He went 
over the ice till he met a bear, then he barked at 
the beast, and made it run after him, stopping 
now and then to bark, and so keep the bear fol- 
lowing till they came close to the hut. The men 
heard Oscar barking, took their guns, came out, 
and shot the bear. Oscar kept on leading up 
the bears, who thought they were going to make 
a meal of him ; and he and the ice-bound crew 
had plenty of meat all winter. 

^^In the spring, Capt. Gray, of the Eclipse, 
was appointed to go in search of the missing 
Eira. The two vessels met, and came home 
together, and Oscar^s owner made a present of 
the dog to the other captain, hoping that if he 
ever got into any difficulty, Oscar would render 
him as good service.” 

The spirit of teachableness is the first step in 
the pathway of success. Without docility, we 
can never learn anything in life, and without 
learning in life we never can acquire power. 
The beautiful thing about military life is that it 
teaches those who enter it to be docile. Grant, 


250 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


and Sherman, and Sheridan, our great generals 
in the late war, acquired their power through the 
possession of docility. They were ready and 
willing to be taught at any time in their life, and 
it was this spirit of teachableness which finally 
gave them their power. 

The bear is possessed of several valuable ac- 
complishments, which he has learnt from man ; 
he is a wonderful climber of trees and rocks, he 
is an excellent swimmer, and a first-class digger. 
When we see a trained bear standing on his 
hind legs, with a staff in his hand, and walking 
about like a man at a country fair, with such 
airs and graces as Tiglath Pieleser, the Oxford 
student, had, we learn a great lesson from this 
Bible animal, the lesson of docility. 

II. 

The second lesson we learn from the bear is 
a lesson of parental responsibility. This is a 
long word, but it means taking care of one’s 
children. 

The mother bear does the best she can to edu- 
cate her young. She licks her little cubs into 


THE BEAR, 


251 


shape when they are very small, and in this way 
makes them presentable to the rest of the family. 

Bears are very fond of one another, and show 
great affection for members of their own family. 
Two brown bears which were bom in captivity 
in the London Zoological Garden, were exceed- 
ingly fond of each other. One of these two was 
sold, and removed from its companion, which 
immediately became imeasy at the protracted 
absence of its play-fellow. So deeply was its 
affectionate heart wounded by the separation, 
that it became nearly mad, and at last contrived 
to make its escape from its place of confinement, 
evidently with the intention of searching after 
its lost friend. It was captured, and replaced in 
its cage, but its health became so seriously affect- 
ed, that its owners were obliged to repurchase 
its companion, and restore it to its disconsolate 
relation. 

After a mother bear has spent all her skill and 
energy in licking her bears, they are supposed 
to be educated, and to be fitted for the duties 
and responsibilities of bear society. I was read- 
ing the other day, a fable about this habit among 


252 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


the bears. It appears a mother bear was very 
much afraid that a great lion, who lived in the 
forest near them, might some day devour her 
young ones when they were off at play, or had 
gone on errands. So she told her fears to the 
lion one day, when he was paying the bear fam- 
ily a social call. The lion in a very polite way 
declared that nothing would be further from his 
intentions than to hurt her children, if he could 
only tell how he was to know her cubs. 

0,^^ replied the mother bear, nothing can 
be easier. You will know my little dears at 
once ; they are the most beautiful cubs in the 
world. Their education is all over j I have just 
finished licking them into shape.^^ 

The lion bade the family adieu, and set off on 
his journey home through the forest, feeling 
very faint and hungry. He was at a loss to 
know how he was to find any refreshment, when 
all of a sudden he came upon two fat little 
cubs waddling home. He fell upon the cubs, 
and after a few short struggles, made a good 
meal out of them, and then pursued his way 
home. 


THE BEAR. 


253 


The next day he was called upon by the 
stricken mother, who expressed her surprise 
at his unfeeling action, whereupon he replied ; 

My dear madam, nothing can give me greater 
pain than to think of the unfortimate mistake 
which has been made ; but I really found it 
quite impossible to see in the ugly little cubs 
which I devoured, the beautiful creatures which 
you so eloquently described to me.” 

Now, my dear children, there is no mistaking 
the fact that many boys are little else than 
young bears who need to be trained into shape. 
This is what school does, for us j this is what 
our true friends do for us j this is what society 
does for us. All education — and all Christian 
education — ^is intended to mould us into fitting 
shape. The only use of a parent, or of a grand- 
parent, is to see that their children and grand- 
children are trained into shape for the great 
duties of life. 

The bears do not have a varied curriculum of 
education, but they do the best they can for 
their cubs. They paw over them/ and maul 
them, and lick them into shape, and so we learn 


254 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


from the bears the lesson of parental respon- 
sibility. 

III. 

The third lesson we learn from the bear, is the 
lesson of adaptability. Bears can run on their 
four legs, or stand up on their hind legs and 
walk like a man j they can dig with a shovel, sit 
up at a table, and eat and drink, with a tumbler, 
knife, and fork, though they prefer to drink 
what they have out of a bottle. During the 
time when it is engaged in feeding, the bear is 
constantly in the habit of climbing up all kinds 
of lofty spots, for the purpose of obtaining food. 

Trusting to its powers of swimming, the bear 
does not hesitate to cross rivers in search of 
food, or in order to escape from its enemies. It 
is in the habit of taking frequent baths during the 
hot months of the year for the sake of cooling 
its heated frame. 

They have the thickest kind of fur clothing, 
which they cannot put away in camphor when 
the summer comes on, as we do j yet they don^t 
seem to mind their fur. 


THE BEAR. 


255 


When they are in the woods they walk on all 
fours, like the other animals. When they are 
exhibited in the menageries they try to make 
the best of it j and adapt themselves to their 
surroundings. 

If we cannot adapt ourselves to our surround- 
ings, the bear does. We generally become 
first-class fretters in life, if things do not come 
out as we desire, and there is nothing so disa- 
greeable as the fretter. 

A certain lady writes : 

A young friend who has been visiting me 
was a fretter. She fretted when it rained, and 
fretted when it shone. She fretted when others 
came to see her, and fretted when they did not. 
It is dreadful to be a fretter. A fretter is trouble- 
some to herself, and troublesome to her friends. 
We, to be sure, have our trials ; but fretting 
does not help us to bear, or get rid of them. 

I have lately come across a short rule for 
fretters, which they shall have. Here it is : 
Never fret about what you can’t help, because it 
won’t do any good. Never fret about what you 
can help, because if you can help it, do so. 


256 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


Say this when you get up in the morning, 
say it at noon, and say it at night j and not only 
say, but do j and that will he, do not fret at all 
— a fine doing.’^ 

But we have our trials,^’ my young readers 

say. 

Yes, you have j and your little trials are as 
hard to bear as your big ones. But fretting does 
not help them j nor wishing we were somewhere 
else, or somebody else, or dwelling upon them 
until they look a great deal bigger than they 
really are. 

Did you ever read the fable about the toad 
and the plantain leaf? 

A toad used to live under a stone beside the 
brook. He was a pretty fat toad, and got along 
in the world as well as toads generally do. One 
day he went out to find something to eat, and 
hopping out among the leaves by the creek^s side, 
he heard a rustle among the leaves. He said to 
himself ; There^s a beetle ! 1 like beetles. 

I’ll be quiet and catch him.^^ 

So he crept along till he came to it, and stuck 
out his tongue to get it j but it happened to be a 


THE BEAR. 


257 


bumble-bee ! He dropped it like a hot coal, 
and had to cry out in the way toads cry, and 
hop back to his hole under the stone. He 
sujSered with the pain, and his tongue swelled up, 
and he was obliged to lie by for two or three 
days. Hopping back to his home, he plucked 
a leaf of plantain, and took it home for his 
medicine, and put it in his mouth to cure the 
sting of the bee. He stayed at home for two 
or three days, and began to get hungry, ana 
poor, and lean. As he hopped along, he camt; 
under the leaf of a plantain, and being very hun- 
gry and tired, he stopped under the leat, ana 
looking up, said : Oh, what a nice time you 
plantains have ! I should like to change places. 
Toads have a hard life.^’ 

The plantain said : Friend toad, I should 
like to change, too. I don’t see what toads 
have to complain of. I think they must have a 
fine time of it.” 

Let me tell you,” said the toad : In the 
first place, we have to work for our living, and 
find all we get to eat ; and sometimes, when we 
think we are going to get a beetle, we get a 


258 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


bumble-bee. Then again, in winter time we 
are frozen up, and when we come out the boys 
come along and stone us, and the crows pick us 
up. Isn^t that trouble ? While you plantains 
have just to sit by the river, and don^t have to 
work. I should like to change places with you.^’ 

Stop ! let me tell you my side,” cried the 
plantain. We^ cannot hop about as you can, 
but have to stay where we are put. If we want 
a drink of water, we can^t go to the creek and 
get it. We can^t move an inch to go and see 
the world, and visit our next neighbor. Then 
the sun shines hot all day, and we have to bear 
it. and can^t hop under a cool leaf, as you do. 
Then, by-and-by, comes along a cow and nips 
off our head ; or a little worm, and eats into our 
heart, and we have no power to shake him off. 
I should like to change places with you ; you 
take mine, and I will take yours ; for I am so 
anxious to hop down to the creek, and get a 
drink.” 

Stay ! stay ! ” cried the toad. I hear a 
cricket. Let me get it ; ” and off he went after 
the cricket, and never came back. 


THE BEAR. 


259 


So it appears everybody does have trials; and 
the only right way of getting along is not to 
wish ourselves somebody else, and fret ourselves 
because we are not, but contentedly bear our 
lot, and be satisfied with what God has given us. 
The third lesson we learn from the bear is the 
lesson of adaptability. 

IV. 

The fourth and last lesson which we leam 
from the bear, is the lesson of the advantages 
of humor in getting us out of the hard places of 
life. 

It is very curious to think of the occupations 
of animals. Bears are philosophers ; the stork 
and the heron are fishermen. Bees are geo- 
metricians ; their cells are so constructed as, 
with the least quantity of material, to have the 
largest sized spaces, and least possible loss of 
interstices. So, also, is the ant-lion; his funnel- 
shaped trap is exactly correct in its conforma- 
tion, as if it had been made by the most skillful 
artist of our species, with the aid of the best in- 
struments. The mole is a meteorologist. The 


260 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


torpedo, the ray, and the electric eel, are elec- 
tricians. The nautilus is a navigator ; he raises 
and lowers his sail, casts and weighs his anchor, 
and performs other nautical evolutions. Whole 
tribes of birds are musicians. The beaver is an 
architect, builder, and wood-cutter. He cuts 
down trees, and erects houses and dams. The 
marmot is a civil engineer ; he not only builds 
houses, but constructs aqueducts and drains to 
keep them dry. The white ants maintain a reg- 
ular army of soldiers. The East-India ants are 
horticulturists ; they mak^ mushrooms, upon 
which they feed their young. Wasps are paper 
manufacturers. Caterpillars are silk spinners. 
Some birds are tailors j they sew the leaves to- 
gether to make their nests. The bird, locus 
textor, is a weaver j he weaves a web to make 
his nest. 

The squirrel is a ferryman : with a chip or a 
piece of bark for a boat, and his tail for a sail, 
he crosses a stream. Hogs, wolves, jackals, and 
many others are hunters. The ants are regular 
day-laborers. The monkey is a rope-dancer. 
The association of beavers present us with a 


THE BEAR, 


261 


model of republicanism. The bees live under a 
monarchy. The Indian antelopes furnish an 
example of patriarchal government. Elephants 
exhibit an aristocracy of elders. Wild horses 
are said to select their leaders. Sheep, in a wild 
state, are imder the control of a military chief ram. 

But let us come back to the bears, and we 
will find that they teach us a lesson of the 
advantages of humor. The bear is a regular 
philosopher, and his philosophy helps him along 
over the hard places of life. 

Somebody asked Edward Hyde, Earl of 
Clarendon, how it was that he was able to keep 
his head through all the changes and vicissitudes 
of fortune through which he passed. He was 
in power during the reign of Charles the First, 
and Charles the Second, and James the Second, 
and William and Mary. Part of the time he 
was in power, and part of the time he was 
banished from the country. When asked how 
it was that he maintained himself through all 
these changes, he replied : that he had observ- 
ed that the mood of humor was the mood of 
right reason, and that he had never been placed 


262 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


in any position in life, in which he did not see 
the humorous side. In this way his humor was 
to him what the oil-can, and the wad of cotton 
are to the hot-box of a car. 

An Irish girl, giving evidence in a court of 
justice against a lad who had committed a 
theft, and was a constant source of uneasiness 
to his parents, said : Arrah, sir, I’m sure he 
never made his mother smile.” 

What a sad testimony, to be given against any 
boy, is this ! 

Let us preserve the sense of humor, which has 
been given to us by God, to oil the heated and 
creaking places in life. It helps the bear over 
some very hard places in life, and it will help us 
in the same way if we do not part from this fa- 
culty which God has given us. 

These then are the four lessons which we learn 
from the bear : 

First, we learn the lesson of docility. Second, 
we learn the lesson of parental responsibility. 
Third, we learn a lesson of adaptability, and 
fourth, we learn a lesson of the advantages of 
humor. 


THE BEAR. 


263 


In this way even the awkward and ungainly 
be£i,r, strolling down the mountain pass and look- 
ing out from behind rock and stump, at the far- 
off habitation of civilized man, can go into pul- 
pit and preach a sermon for us. 


1 . 


THE STORK. 

** The trees of the Lord are full ofahp ; the cedars of Lebanon, 
which He hath planted ; where the birds make their nests : as 
for the stork, the fir trees are her house '' — Psalm civ. 16 | 17 . 

We come to-day to the lessons which we learn 
from the Stork, — ^the large, wide-winged, migra- 
tory bird, so frequently alluded to in the Bible. 

The stork has very many interesting and sin- 
gular qualities : to-day we will study some of 
these, and find out what we can about the stork. 

There are a number of references to the stork 
in the Bible : one of these, is in Jeremiah viii. 7 *. 

Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her ap- 
pointed times ; and the turtle and the crane and 
the swallow observe the time of their coming j 
but my people know not the judgment of the 

Lord.’^ Another mention of this bird occurs in 
( 264 ) 


THE STORK. 


•265 


Zachariah v. 9 ; Then lifted up I mine eyes, and 
looked, and, behold, there came out two women, 
and the wind was in their wings ) for they had 
wings like the wings of a stork : and they lifted 
up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.” 
Still another place where the stork is mentioned, 
IS in the J ith chapter of Leviticus, 19th verse ; 
•And the stork, the heron after her kind, and 
the lapwing, and the bat,” Still another refer- 
ence to the stork is in Job xxxix. 12 (Revised 
Edition); ‘‘ The wing of the ostrich rejoiceth, but 
are her pinions and feathers kincily,” or as it is 
m the margin, are her feathers like the stork ? ” 
which shows us that the stork was considered as 
the symbol of the bird that was kind or benevo- 
lent. 

From all these- passages we learn, in the first 
place, that the stork was a bird, as it is mention- 
ed in connection wdth other birds, and is said to 
have wings and feathers. We find out from 
these passages that the stork is a migratory 
bird; that it builds its nest upon fir trees, or 
high places, and that it is a very large -winged 
bird. The word used for stork in the Hebrew is 


266 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Chasaidah ; and it comes from the word Chesed, 
which means benevolence ; this contains the idea 
of mercy, and benefit, and pity. 

According to some writer the name was given 
to the stork, because it was supposed to be a bird 
remarkable for its filial pity. For the storks in 
their turn, support their parents in their old age ; 
they allow them to rest their necks on their bod- 
ies, during their flight ; and if the elders are 
tired, the young ones take them on their backs. 
According to others, this name is given to the 
stork, because it exercises kindness towards its 
companions, in bringing them food ] but in all 
cases the derivation of the word comes from the 
idea of benevolence, or kind-heartedness. 

Birds have a way of communicating their 
ideas to one another, and of showing kindness to 
their companions and friends. A gentleman 
who has been studying bird habits, writes in one 
place : 

have closely observed the woodcock’s system 
of telegraphy. The bird’s mandibles are fur- 
nished with extremely sensitive nerves, so ar- 
ranged that when the point of the bill rests upon 


THE STORK. 


267 


the ground, the slightest sounds are conveyed to 
its brain. • Standing upon the water-saturated 
earth of a spouty bog, our bird utters a faint, 
keen cry, scarcely audible at two rods’ distance, 
then immediately lets fall his head till the tip of 
his bill touches the ground, and listens attentive, 
ly- If his mate hears him, she replies, puts 
her bill on the ground, and listens in turn. So 
the love-messages go back and forth as long as 
the birds have anything to say. This sort of 
thing usually happens in the soft twilights from 
May to the middle of August, though occasionally 
I have seen and heard it in the broad light of a 
summer day. 

Partly on account of this idea, of the storks 
being kind to their young — which is a very old 
idea — and partly, on account of their services as 
scavengers of the streets ; the stork has always 
been protected through the East, as it is at the 
present time in some parts of Europe. The 
slaughter of a stork, or even the destruction 
of its eggs, would be punished with a heavy 
fine. 

In consequence of the kind treatment, it en- 


268 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


joys, the stork loves to haunt the habitations of 
mankind. 

A celebrated naturalist says of the storks : 

“ In many of the continental towns, where 
sanitary regulations are not enforced, the stork 
serves the purpose of a scavenger, and may be 
seen walking about the market-places, waiting 
' for the offal of fish, fowls and the like, which 
are simply thrown on the ground for the storks 
to eat. In the Eastern lands the stork enjoys 
similar privileges, and we may infer that the bird 
was perfectly familiar — both to the writers of 
the various Scriptual Books in which it is so 
mentioned — and to the people for whom these 
books were intended. When they settle upon a 
tract of ground, the storks divide it among 
themselves in a manner that seems to have a 
sort of system in it, each bird appearing to take 
possession of a definite amount of ground- By 
this mode of proceeding, the ground is rapidly 
cleared of all vermin. The storks examine 
their allotted spaces with the keenest scrutiny, 
devouring every reptile, mouse, worm, grub, or 
insect that they can find upon it. Sometimes 


THE STORK. 


269 




the storks will spread themselves in this way 
over a vast extent of country, arriving suddenly, 
remaining for several months, and departing 
without giving any sign of their intention to 
move. 

^^The wings of the stork — which are men- 
tioned in the Bible — are very conspicuous and 
striking, an adult bird measuring about seven 
feet across when flying. As the body — large 
though it be — is comparatively light when com- 
pared with the extent of wing, the flight is both 
lofty and sustained. The bird flying at a very 
great height, and when migrating, it is literally 
‘ the stork in the heavens.’ ” 

' The naturalist Tristram says; ^^The stork has 
a very great attachment to locality, and nothing 
but unremitting persecution can drive them from 
the spot which has once been selected for a nest. 
Year after year — indeed generation after gene- 
ration — a pair of birds return every spring to the 
same place, and either rebuild, or thoroughly re- 
pair, the old nest. If any accident happen to 
one of the pair, its place is speedily supplied, 
and the succession of tenants maintained. 


270 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


The one instance of a breeding place being 
deserted, which ever fell under my own observa- 
tion, was under curious circumstances. On the 
highest point of a large mass of ruin at Rabbath 
Ammon, were the remains of a deserted pile of 
sticks — an old storks’ nest. One of the birds 
had got its leg entangled and broken in a chink 
of the ruin, where it had perished miserably 5 
and its gaunt skeleton, with the pinion feathers 
still remaining on the wing-bones, swayed to and 
fro, suspended in mid air; and it effectually 
scared all its fellows from the spot. In almost 
every country in the old world, the stork is a 
welcome and cherished visitor ; not only from 
its character, but from the services it renders to 
man. The periodical return of the stork is no- 
ticed in Jeremiah viii. 7. 

In the countries where the stork lives, it is 
protected by the citizens. Boxes are provided 
on the tops of the houses for it, and he considers 
himself a fortunate man whose roof the stork se- 
lects. In the city of Strasburg, in the district 
of Alsace and Lorraine, there are many visitors 
who go there on purpose to see the storks on the 


THE STORK. 


271 


chimney tops. There is a well authenticated 
account of the devotion of a stork, which, at the 
burning of the town of Delft, in Holland, after 
repeated and unsuccessful attempts to carry off 
her young, chose rather to remain and perish 
with them, than to leave them to their fate. 
Well may the Romans call the stork Fia avis^ 
the pious bird. 

Storks have some very curious habits. 

A pair of storks built a nest on one of the 
chimneys of a mansion near Berlin. Having a 
curiosity to inspect it, the owner climbed up, and 
found in it one egg; which, being about the size 
of a goose’s egg, was replaced by one belonging 
to that bird. The storks seemed not to notice 
the exchange, but no sooner was the egg hatch- 
ed, than the male bird perceiving the difference, 
rose from the nest, and flying round it several 
times, with loud screams, disappeared, and was 
not seen for three days, during which time the 
female continued to tend her offspring as usual. 
Early on the fourth morning, however, the in- 
mates of the house were disturbed by loud and 
discordant cries in the field fronting the house ; 


272 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


when they perceived about five hundred storks 
assembled in a dense body, and one standing 
about twenty yards before the rest, apparently 
haranguing its companions, who stood listening, 
to all appearance, with great emotion. When 
this bird had concluded, it retired, and another 
took its place, and seemed to address them in a 
similar manner. This proceeding and noise was 
repeated by several successive birds until about 
eleven o^clock in the forenoon, when the whole 
flock simultaneously arose in the air, uttering dis- 
mal cries. The female, all this time, was observ- 
ed to remain on her nest, watching their emotions 
with apparent trepidation. In a short time the 
body of storks made towards her, headed by one 
bird, supposed to be the male, who struck her 
vehemently three or four times, and knocked her 
out of the nest. The whole mass then followed 
the attack, until they had not only destroyed the 
female stork, who made no attempt either to 
escape or defend herself, but the young gosling, 
and utterly removing every vestige of the nest 
itself. Since that time no stork has been known 
to build there. 


THE STORK, 


273 


This anecdote appears to demonstrate a power 
of combination, and a kind of moral government 
among storks, which will startle readers who 
have hitherto believed that the lower animals 
are destitute of mental capacity. 

The nearest approach to the stork, that we 
have in this country, is the long-legged heron, 
which we sometimes find near our mountain 
lakes ; they wander through the forests, and 
wade in water, but they are smaller in size, and 
not as interesting in character, as is this Bible 
bird, the stork which is the subject of our 
thoughts to-day. 

We learn three important lessons from the 
stork. 


I. 

First we learn the lesson of being fond of 
our homes. The storks are not gadders ; they 
are not travelling and paying calls all the < time. 
They stay at home and attend to their families. 

They make their nests with great care, and 
when they have made them, there is no place so 

dear to them as their homes. This nest idea is 
18 


274 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


one which we ought to cultivate in life 5 before 
very long we will leave our homes, and have to 
go out in the world to make our own living, and 
our home will be taken away from us. 

A child was once speaking of his home to a 
friend, who asked him : Where is your 

home ? 

Looking up with loving eyes to his mother, he 
replied : My home is where my mother is.^^ 

On a tombstone in an old church in England, 
is the following epitaph : During sixty years 
of wedded life, she always made my home hap- 
py.” This was a husband^s tribute to a devoted 
wife. 

The storks go away from their homes for the 
winter, but early in the spring they always come 
again, glad to find their old nests. The way in 
which they care for their homes, and show their 
love for them, teaches us a lesson, which we 
ought not to be slow to learn. 

Six of the seven wise men of Greece give 
their opinion of what constitutes a happy home 
as follows : Solon thought the house most happy 
where the estate was got without injustice, kept 


THE STORK. 


275 


Without aistrust, and spent without repentance. 
Bias said, That house is happy where the mas- 
ter does freely and voluntarily at home what the 
law compels him to do abroad.^^ Thales held 
that house most happy where the master had 
most leisure and respite from business. Cleobu- 
lus said, That in which the master is more 
beloved than feared.^^ Pittacus said, That 
is most happy where superfluities are not re- 
quired and necessaries are not wanting. Chilo 
added, That house is most happy where the 
master rules as a monarch in his kingdom.’^ 
And he proceeded, When a certain Lacedae- 
monian desired Lycurgus to establish a democ- 
racy in the city, ‘ Gro you, friend,^ replied he, 
^ and make the experiment first in your own 
house.^ 

The first lesson which we learn from the 
stork, is the lesson of being fond of onr homes. 

II. 

The second lesson we learn from the stork is 
the lesson of filial devotion. 

Filial love, or the love which we have, as 


276 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


children, to our parents, is the first indication 
which comes to us in life of our moral nature. 
The boy who is a good son will probably be a 
good brother, a good husband and a good father ; 
but when he is ungrateful to his parents, he 
will probably be false in every other relation- 
ship in life. 

The ancients always honored those who were 
devoted and true to their parents. And the 
hero of YirgiPs great poem, Aneas, was called 
pious Aneas, because when Troy was burning 
he went out from Troy with his wife following 
in his footsteps, his boy Ascanius at his side, 
and his father Anchises on his shoulders. 

The Chinese to-day, rate all goodness as be- 
ginning with devotion to parents. Now the 
storks teach us this lesson of filial devotion. 
When they go on their flight to the south for the 
winter, they do not leave the old folks behind ; 
they care for their parents quite as much as they 
do for their children, and they insist upon taking 
the old people with them. 

I knew a family once where the children used 
to say — when they had anything given to them. 


THE STORK, 


277 , 


and were asked to divide it among the different 
members of the family— anything will do for the 
old man.^’ By which they referred to the fact, 
that anything would suit their father. There is 
no worse vice in the world than filial ingratitude. 
It is the hot bed out of which all other vices 
grow; and Satan is pretty sure to eventually 
possess the boy and girl who do not honor their 
parents, and who show ingratitude to them. 

There was once a man who had an only son, 
to whom he bequeathed everything. When his 
son grew up, he was unkind to his father, refus- 
ed to support him, and turned him out of his house. 
The old man said to his grandson, Go and 
fetch the covering from my bed, that I may go 
and sit by the wayside and beg.^^ The child 
burst into teaiis, ran for the covering, took it to 
his father, and said to him, Pray, father, cut it 
in two : the half of it will be large enough for 
grandfather ; and perhaps you will want the 
other half when I grow a man and turn you out 
of doors.’’ The words of the child struck him co 
forcibly, that he ran to his father, asked his for- 
giveness, and took care of him until his death. 


278 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


The second lesson that we learn from the 
stork is the lesson of filial devotion. 

III. 

The third and last lesson which we learn from 
the stork, is the lesson of following our best in- 
stincts. 

The Kev. Dr. H. Pritchard, who is. fond of 
dogs as well as of preaching, once taught his 
congregation a good lesson by a simple remark 
on the faithfulness of this animal. He went to his 
pulpit, and had began his sermon, when his dog, 
which had gotten out from home, slipped into the 
church, walked up the aisle and into the pulpit, 
looked up at his master and began to whine. The 
congregation tittered. Instantly stopping, the 
Doctor walked out of the pulpit and down the 
aisle to the door, and letting the dog out, returned. 
Leaning over the pulpit, he said : ^^0 that this 
congregation were as faithful to their Master as that 
dog is to his ! Quiet reigned, and he proceeded 
with his sermon without further interruption. 

We can learn a great many lessons from the 
habits of animals. 


THE STORK. 


279 


Animals get rid of their parasites by using 
dust, mud and clay. Those suffering from fever 
restrict their diet, keep quiet, seek dark, airy 
places, drink water and sometimes plunge into 
it. When a dog has lost its appetite it eats 
that species of grass known as dog^s-tail-grass, 
which acts as an emetic and a purgative. Cats 
also eat grass. Sheep and cows, when ill, seek 
out certain herbs. An animal suffering from 
chronic rheumatism, always keeps, as far as pos- 
sible, in the sun. The warrior ants have regu- 
larly organized ambulances. The naturalist, 
Latreille, cut the antenncB of the ant, and other 
ants came and covered the wounded part with 
a transparent fluid secreted from their mouths. 
If a chimpanzee is wounded, it stops the bleed- 
ing by placing its hand on the wound or 
dressing it with leaves and grass. When an 
animal has a wounded leg or arm hanging on, 
it completes the amputation by means of its 
teeth. 

The stork teaches us this lesson of following 
our best instincts in two ways. The first way 
the stork teaches us this lesson of following our 


280 


BIBLE AmJlfALS. ' 


best instincts is in the way it has of going 
South to escape the storms of winter. 

It is a great thing in life to get out of stormy- 
weather. There is no use in fighting a storm. 
There is no use in 'defying the winter. We 
ought to go out of the ' path of temptation, as 
Solomon says in the Book of Proverbs, when 
speaking of the way of temptation : Avoid it, 
pass by it, turn from it and go away.’^ 

The storks do not try to fight the winter, but 
they go out of the way of the winter. It is their 
instinct which teaches them to do this, and in 
the same way in life we will find that we can get 
out of a great many troubles, by simply turning 
away from them, as the storks escaped the cold 
weather, which they knew was surely coming 
on, by simply spreading their broad wings, and 
flying to the South, away from it. Another way 
in which the storks teach us the lesson of follow- 
ing our best instincts, is the way they have of 
building their nests very high. 

The bird that builds its nest low on the 
ground, is never safe, never secure. The foot 
of the adventurous traveller may at any moment 


THE STORK. 


281 


crush its eggs, and break up its home life. 

The scent of the dog may soon detect the hid^ 
den nest on the lowland, or in the bushes ; but 
the hawk, and the eagle,' the falcon, and the 
stork, are birds which build their nests so very 
far from man, that man cannot disturb them. 
And in the same way in life, my dear children, 
unless we put our affections on things that are 
above, we will never be safe and secure from 
harm. 

Remember that hymn which we sometimes 
sing, which shows us, after all, how our safety is 
in building our hopes high in heaven : 

“ When I can read my title clear 
To mansions in the skies, 

I’ll bid farewell to every fear 
And wipe my weeping eyes 

Should earth against my soul engage, 

And fiery darts be hurled, 

Then I can smile at Satan’s rage, 

And face a frowning world. 

Let cares like a wild deluge come, 

And storms of sorrow fall, 

May I but safely reach my home, 

My God, my heaven, my all. 


282 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


There shall I bathe my weary soul 
In seas of heavenly rest, 

And not a wave of trouble roll 
Across my peaceful breast.” 

These, then, are the lessons which we leam 
from this wonderful Bible bird, the stork. 

It is a bird which is large of wing, large of 
heart, which builds high, and blesses all about it. 

It destroys the germs of evil and poisonous 
insects. 

It cares for its own, it lives at home, it is de- 
voted to its parents. 

It follows its best instincts in building its 
home high above the ground. 

These, then, are the lessons which we learn 
from the stork, that bird of which we find so 
much mention in the Bible. 

Remember the words of the prophet, Jere- 
miah, when he said — contrasting the knowledge 
of this bird with that of God^s people, Israel : 

The stork in the heavens knoweth her ap- 
pointed times, and the turtle, the crane, and the 
swallow observe the time of their coming ; but 
my people know not the judgment of the Lord.” 


XI. 


THE ASS. 

And the ass sato the angel of the LordJ* 

Numbers xxii. 28. 

In going on with our study of Bible Natural 
History, the next animal that we take up is the 
ass. The ass is an animal well worthy of our 
study. 

We find the ass spoken of in the Bible between 
sixty and seventy times. These animals were 
held in great estimation in the eastern countries 
where the Bible was written. They were the 
favorite beasts on which kings, and members 
of the royal family were accustomed * to ride. 
Among these animals there was one portion, or 
tribe, whose hair was always white. And these 
white asses were the favorite ones, especially 
used by the distinguished persons of whom I 
have just spoken. 


( 283 ; 


284 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


When our blessed Saviour made his last pub- 
lic entrance into Jerusalem, before his crucifixion, 
He chose to ride upon an ass. The prophet 
Zechariah had foretold, hundreds of years before 
the time of Christ, that He, the king of Zion, 
should come, riding upon an ass, or a colt the 
foal of an ass.’^ And he came in just that way. 
So this prophecy was literally fulfilled. 

Our sermon to-day is about what sort of an 
animal the ass is. 

And there are three things about the charac- 
ter of the ass of which I wish to speak. 

In the first place I desire to* show that the ass 
is a sensible animal. 

People generally have a very different opinion 
about the ass from this. If you see a boy doing 
some silly, foolish thing, you will be very apt to 
hear some one near him say : You stupid ass, 
what did you do that for ? ” The saying, 
stupid as an ass is one that we often hear. 
And yet, properly considered, it is not true. In 
this country, where the ass is so often overwork- 
ed, ill-used, and almost starved, no doubt it often 
becomes ill-natured and stupid. But in eastern 






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THE ASS. 


285 


countries, where it is not overworked, but is 
well fed, and kindly treated, the ass is a bright, 
intelligent and sensible creature. And when 
the kings of those countries, with their princes 
and great men, ride upon the ass, the richest 
kind of harness is put upon it, and the appear- 
ance which it presents is very pleasing and at- 
tractive. The people there never think, or 
speak of the ass as a stupid animal. On the 
contrary they prize it very much, because they 
know it is an animal of good sense. 

We have an excellent illustration of the good 
sense of the ass, in connection with the incident 
spoken of in our text. 

The children of Israel were finishing their 
long journey through the wilderness, and getting 
ready to enter the land of Canaan. They were 
still on the other side of the river Jordan. Ba- 
lak, the king of Moab, through whose country 
they were about to pass, was very much afraid 
of them. Now it happened that there was a fa- 
mous prophet named Balaam, who lived near 
the river Euphrates, in the country of Mesopota- 
mia. Balak had great confidence in that pro- 


286 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


pHet. He believed that if he blessed any people, 
they would be blessed j and that if he cursed 
any persons, they would surely be cursed. So 
he made up his mind to try and get Balaam to 
come and curse the Israelites. Then he sent a 
committee of his princes to Balaam. In the 
name of the king they asked him to come and 
curse the Israelites, and told him that if he did 
so, the king would make him a rich man. Now 
Balaam had a great love of money. He wanted 
very much to go, and get what the king prom- 
ised him. But God told him that he must not 
go. So he had to send the messengers back, to 
tell the king that God would not let him come. 
Then the king sent other messengers, who urged 
him still more strongly to come, and promised 
him yet greater riches, if he would only come, 
and do what the king wanted him to do. 

Then Balaam made up his mind to go to King 
Balak. He mounted his ass to ride there ; but, 
as he was riding along, God sent an angel, who 
stood before him in the way, with a flaming 
sword in his hand. Now Balaam^s mind was 
so occupied in thinking about the money he ex- 


THE ASS. 


287 


pected to get from Balak, that he did not see the 
angel. But, as our text says, ^^the ass saw the 
angel of the Lord,” and turned aside several 
times to get out of his way. Balaam smote the 
ass with his staff each time that it turned aside. 
At last the ass spoke to him, and asked him 
what he had smitten him for. Some people think 
that this is not a real, true story. But I am 
quite sure that it is. For the apostle Peter 
refers to this story in one of his epistles, and 
tells us that, the dumb ass, speaking with 
man^s voice, forbade the madness of the 
prophet.” The apostle would not have thus 
referred to this story unless he had known that 
it was true. It was God who taught Balaam’s 
ass to bray ; and when he wanted that ass to speak 
with a man’s voice, it was just as easy for 
Him to teach it to speak as to bray. And when 
the ass saw the angel of the Lord, and saved his 
master’s life by turning out of the angel’s way, 
he proved very satisfactorily that he had more 
sense than his master. This is a good Bible 
illustration of the point now before us — that the 
ass is a sensible creature. And^ outside of the 


288 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Bible, we find plenty of such illustrations. Here 
are two. 

The first may be called — 

A DONKEY^S GOOD SENSE. 

Several years ago, in Kansas City, an old 
horse and an old donkey, who had served their 
master faithfully, were kept together in a 
stable, and were well taken care of. They 
became well acquainted, and got to be quite fond 
of each other. 

One day they were both turned into a field 
near the stable, that they might feed on the 
grass. In the middle of this field was a large 
pond, which was sometimes filled with water, and 
at other times with deep mud. In trying to get 
across this pond, the old horse sunk down into the 
mud, and stuck fast, so that it could not get out. 

As soon as the donkey saw the trouble his 
companion was in, he started oflF, and ran to the 
stable. He put his head in the office door, and 
brayed as loudly as he could. After doing this 
tor some time, he started to run back for the 
pond, waving his tail over his back. On look- 


THE ASS. 


289 


ing round, he saw that no one was following 
him. Then he returned to the office, put his 
head in the door, and brayed again, longer, and 
louder than before. After this, he started again 
for the pond. In a little while, he stopped and 
looked back to see if anybody was coming. 
The stable-keeper had been watching him. 
Feeling sure that there was something wrong, 
he told one of stable-boys to follow him, and 
see what was the matter. The boy went to the 
pond and saw the trouble the poor horse was in. 
Then he returned and reported about it,, and 
three men were sent to get him out, which was 
soon done. 

Now certainly that donkey showed his good 
sense in the way in which he went to work to 
save the life of his companion. You or I could 
not have acted more sensibly under the circum- 
stances, than he did. 

Our next story may be called — 

THE MILKMAN^S DONKEY. 

This story was told by an American gentle- 
man who spent several years in Spain, engaged 
19 


290 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


in business. He found that with the peasantry of 
Spain the donkey is a special favorite, and is 
treated almost as a member of the family. The 
women and children of the household feed him 
from their own hands, and pat him, and speak 
kindly to him. He knows them all, and loves 
them all. He will follow his master, and come 
and go at his bidding, just as an intelligent child 
or servant would do. He loves to have the baby 
placed on his back, and then he will walk gently 
round with him on the grass-plot in front of their 
cottage. The gentleman, of whom we are 
speaking, was told of a peasant, in the neighbor- 
hood whefe he lived while in Spain, who had for 
many years carried milk into the city of Ma- 
drid, to supply a set of customers. Every morn- 
ing he and his donkey, with panniers well load- 
ed, went their accustomed round. One morning 
the peasant was attacked by sudden illness, so 
that he was unable to go round with his milk, 
and had no one to send in his place. His wife 
advised him to trust their faithful donkey to 
go by himself, as he always knew just where to 
stop. The panniers were accordingly filled with 


THE ASS. 


291 


cans of milk, and the priest of the village wrote, 
in a large hand, on a card which was fastened to 
the donkey’s neck, a request to the customers 
to measure out their own milk, and send back 
the empty cans. Then the donkey was told 
what to do, and set off with his load. The door^ 
bells in Spain have a rope hanging outside the 
house, to which a wooden handle is fastened. 
The donkey would stop before the house of 
each customer, and, after waiting what he 
thought was a sufficient time, would pull the bell- 
rope with his mouth. And when he had gone 
through the entire round, he trotted home with 
the empty milk- cans on his back. He contin- 
ued to do this for several days, till his master 
got well again, and he never missed a single 
customer. And these incidents make it per- 
^ fectly clear that the ass, when properly treated, 
is a sensible animal. 

In the second place the ass is a useful animal. 

No one doubts this, and it needs no argument 
to prove it. The ass is useful in the heavy bur- 
dens which it carries for its owners. It is useful 
for the long journeys it can accomplish for those 


292 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


whc ride upon it. It can travel as far as the 
horse, or the camel, only not quite as rapidly. 
And in Switzerland, and other countries, where 
mountain-ranges like the Alps or the Andes are 
found, the ass is useful for the safe way in which 
it carries passengers over the most steep and 
dangerous mountain paths. The ass is so care- 
ful and sure-footed, that it goes over the narrow- 
est and most dangerous paths, along the sides of 
the steepest mountains, without stumbling or 
falling. This makes it very useful in those 
countries. 

We read of one man in the Bible, whose his- 
tory was connected with this animal in a very 
strange way. I refer to Saul, the first king of 
Israel. His father, Kish, was a farmer, and 
kept cattle of different kinds. On one occasion 
some of his asses s-trayed away and were lost. 
He sent his son, Saul, with one of his servants, 
to try and find the lost asses. After hunting fot 
them a long time, and not finding them, they 
came near the place where Samuel the prophet 
lived. Saul’s servant suggested to his master 
that it might be well for them to call on the 


THE ASS. 


293 


prophet, and make inquiries about the lost asses. 
They did so, and the prophet told them not to 
trouble themselves about the lost asses, because 
they had been found and taken back to their 
home. Then Samuel took Saul apart by himself, 
and told him that the people of Israel had asked 
God to let them have a king, as other nations 
had, and that God had chosen him to be the first 
king of Israel. After this Samuel poured oil on 
Saules head, and anointed him to be king in the 
name of the Lord. How strange this was! Saul 
had set out to find the lost asses of his father. 
He did not find them, but while seeking for them 
he found a crown and a kingdom. He must 
always have thought of those lost asses with 
great interest. Certainly the ass had proved it* 
self a useful animal to him. 

Here is an incident to show how useful the 
ass can show itself to he. This story may be 
called — 

SAVED BY A DONKEY. 

Dr. Hammond, a surgeon in the United States 
Army, tells this story as occurring in connection 


294 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


with himself. At the time here referred to, Dr. 
Hammond was stationed at Fort Webster, in 
that part of the country which is now called Ari- 
zona. 

On one occasion the Doctor wished to make a 
journey to a small settlement, some miles distant 
from the fort. He started on a fine large don- 
key, ^hat belonged to him. His path lay down 
a steep valley, between two high mountains. 
After going two or three miles from the fort, 
the donkey suddenly stopped, and would not go 
on another step. The Doctor jerked the reins, 
and said, Go long ! but the donkey wouldn’t 
go. Then he dashed the spurs against his side, 
but yet he stood still. Then he whipped him 
severely, but he would not move a step. Then 
the Doctor had to turn the donkey round, and 
go back to the fort. The next day it was found 
out that just beyond where the donkey stopped, 
there was a company of Apache Indians hidden 
beyond the bushes, and waiting to shoot any 
one who might come along. The donkey, eithei 
by his quick scent or sharp hearing, had found 
out that the Indians were there, and this made 


1 

THE ASS. 


295 


him unwilling to go any nearer to them. And 
here we see how the good sense of that donkey 
made him useful to his master, in saving his life. 

And now we may look at some illustrations of 
the different ways in which we may imitate this 
feature of the ass^s character, and make ourselves 
useful. 

Our first story may be called — 

WHAT A LITTLE GIRL DID. 

✓ 

A good many years ago, a little girl twelve 
years old was passing the old brick prison in the 
city of Chicago, on her way to school, when she 
saw a hand beckoning to her from a cell window, 
and heard the weary voice of a prisoner asking 
her to please bring him something to read. 

The next Sunday she went to the prison, and 
carried that poor prisoner a book to read from 
her father^s library. And then she kept on do^ 
ing this every week. Several months after this, 
she was sent for to go and see that poor prisoner 
on his death-bed. 

When she entered his room, he said to her, 
‘^Little girl, you have saved my soul. And 


296 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


now, before I die, I want you to promise me that 
you will keep on visiting the prison, and try to 
do for the other poor people in prison, the good 
you have done for me.^^ 

She promised to dot so ; and she has kept her 
promise. Her name is Linda Gilbert. She has 
been for many years the steadfast friend of the 
prisoners. And how very useful she has been 
in carrying on this work, it is impossible to tell. 
She has been the means of establishing good 
libraries in many prisons. She has visited and 
helped great numbers of prisoners. From 
among these she has a certain knowledge of not 
less than six hundred who are now living honest 
and useful lives. Men who were once prisoners 
in all parts of the country, know her, and love 
her for the good she has done them. And this 
life of great usefulness all grew out of that little 
girl hearing the prisoner’s call, and trying to 
help him in his need. 

Our next story may be called — 

HOW A CHINESE BOY MADE HIMSELF USEFUL. 
A wealthy Virginia planter was lying very ill 


THE ASS, 


297 


in the city of Richmond. He had a dangerous 
and infectious fever, and his physician thought 
that he was dying. 

He had no knowledge of religion, and had 
lived without any thought of God, or his soul. 
When the doctor told him he had not long to live, 
he swore about it, and said: <Ht’s too bad, so 
young as I am, with so much to live for, to think 
of dying now ! But it’s always been so. Every- 
thing is against me.” At length the nurse was 
afraid of catching the fever, and she left him. 
Then the doctor asked him if he might get a 
Chinese lad to wait on him. ‘^Oh, it makes no 
difference,” said the sick man ; you may as well 
let me die like a dog. It will soon be over, 
anyhow.” 

In anothei^ part of the city of Richmond there 
was a large Chinese laundry. One of the boys 
connected with this laundry was named Ching. 
He was a native of China, but had learned to 
read and love the Bible, and had become a Chris- 
tian. The love of Jesus in his heart, and the 
hope of going to heaven when he died, made him 
very happy ; and the great desire of his heart 


298 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


was to get an education and go back to China, 
and tell his countrymen about Jesus and his 
great salvation. But he saw no way yet of get- 
ting an education. 

The doctor was acquainted with Ching. He 
called at the laundry, and asked him if he would 
be willing to wait on a patient of his who was 
sick with a dangerous fever. He is a rich 
man, and will pay you well.’^ Ching expressed 
his willingness to go, for he felt sure that God 
would take care of him. 

Then the doctor took him, and introduced him 
to his patient. A few days after this, the sick 
man lay dozing on his bed, while Ching was sit- 
ting in the comer opposite to him reading his 
Bible. Presently the sick man opened his eyes, 
and seeing what Ching was doing, he said : 
“ What confounded book is that you are always 
reading ? 

This hurt Ching very much ; but he meekly 
said : This no confound book ] this my Jesus 

book ; this my passport.” 

Ha ! your passport — what do you mean by 
his?” 


THE ASS. 


299 


And then Ching merely read these two short 
verses : 

‘ There is no other name under heaven, 
given among men, whereby we can be saved, 
but the Name of Jesus.’ 

^ The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from 
all sin.’ ” 

Did you say ‘ all sin,’ Ching ? Read that 
again. Would it cleanse my sin ? ” 

He read it again, and then said : Yes, sir, 
it will cleanse your sin and satisfy all your hopes 
and longings.” 

And then, at the sick man’s request, Ching 
knelt down by his bed-side, and prayed that 
God would pardon his sins, and give him a new 
heart, and make him a happy Christian. 

This was repeated day by day, for some time. 
And then a great change came over that sick 
man. He found pardon, and peace, and salva- 
tion in Jesus. And a change came over his body 
as well as over his soul. His fever was broken, 
and he soon got quite well again. And when he 
learned that Ching was anxious to get an educa- 
tion, and go and preach the Gospel to his coun- 


300 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


trymen, he gave him money enough to pay for 
his education. And then he himself joined the 
Church, and became an active and devoted 
member of it. And to-day that once wicked 
man is one of the noblest Christians in the 
country, and is using his money to promote the 
interests of religion and education in the South ; 
while Ching is one of the most honored and 
successful missionaries among the Chinese, and 
is laboring faithfully to make Christ knov/n 
among his countrymen. 

Thus we have seen that the second lesson 
which we learn is the lesson of usefulness. And 
thinking of this should lead us all to try and 
make ourselves useful. 


III. 

In the third place the ass is a grateful 
animal. 

I mean by this that when kindness is shown 
to the ass, he is sensible of it, and remembers it, 
and makes some acknowledgment of. it. We 
have no examples of this given us in the Bible, 
but we meet with many cases outside of the Bible. 


THE ASS, 


301 


Here is one that we may call — 

A DONKEY^S GRATITUDE TO HIS HORSE FRIEND. 

An English farmer had three fine horses and a 
donkey on his farm. These animals were often 
put to graze together in the same field. Now it 
generally happens that horses do not like to have 
a donkey near them, and they will show their 
dislike by kicking him, and trying to drive him 
away. 

But it was not so with those English horses. 
They treated the donkey kindly, and let him 
share with them the best grass to be found in 
the field. The donkey seemed to feel their 
kindness to him, and he showed his gratitude to 
them for it in the following way. 

One day the donkey was put by himself, into 
a field which had a remarkable growth of the 
very finest grass, and he was enjoying it greatly 
His three friends, the horses, were in an adjoin- 
ing field, where the grass was very poor and 
scanty. 

There was a high, thick hedge of haw- 
thorn-bushes separating those two fields. The 


802 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


horses came and looked over the hedge to see 
their friend, the donkey, having such a good 
time enjoying that green grass. He knew, from 
the way they looked at him, that they wanted to 
come into his field, and share the pleasure which 
he felt in eating that excellent grass. Then the 
donkey went to a gate near by, which led into 
the field where he was grazing. That gate was 
fastened by a round piece of wood, which was 
put through an iron staple in the post of the 
gate. He had often seen his master fasten, or 
unfasten, that gate by putting in, or pulling out, 
that piece of wood. So he took hold of it with 
his teeth, and tried to pull it out. It was very 
tight, and he had to keep on trying for a good 
while ; but finally he got it out. Then the 
gate swung wide open, and the horses came in, 
leaping about joyfully, as if to thank their don- 
key friend for his kindness in letting them in. 

And here we see the gratitude of that donkey 
to his friends, the horses, for the kindness they 
had showed to him. 

And when we think of aU that our blessed 
Saviour has done for us, what a debt of gratitude 


THE ASS. 


303 


we owe to Him, and how gladly we shoidd im- 
prove every opportunity of showing it. 

Here is a story which may be called — 

A SAVED sinner’s GRATITUDE TO THE MAN WHO 
BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS. 

That good man, the late John B. Gough, used 
to tell this story : One day,” said Mr. Gough, 

I was going to meet an engagement to lecture 
at a town in England. I had six miles to ride 
so as to reach the nearest station, in order to 
catch the train which I was to take. A man sat 
by my side, who was driving me in a little one- 
horse hack. I noticed that he sat leaning for- 
ward in an awkward manner, with his face close 
to the glass of the window. I asked him if he 
was cold. 

^ No, sir,’ he said. Then he placed a hand- 
kerchief round his head, and I asked him if he 
had the toothache. 

‘No, sir,’ was his reply. Still he sat leaning 
forward. At last I said, ^ Will you please tell 
me why you sit leaning forward in that way, 
with a handkerchief round your head and neck. 


304 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


if you are not cold, and have no toothache ? ^ 
He said, very quietly, ^ The window of the 
carriage is broken, the cold wind is coming in, 
and I am trying to keep it from you.^ 

I said, in surprise, ‘ You are not putting 
your face to that broken pane to keep the wind 
from me, are you? ^ 

^ Yes, sir ; I am.^ 

^ Why do you do that ? ’ 

^^‘God bless you, sir! I owe everything I 
have in the world to you.’ 

^ Why, I never saw you before 1 ’ 

^No, sir; but I have seen you. I was a 
ballad singer, once, a poor, wretched creature. 
I went to hear you preach in Edinburgh. You 
told me that I was a man, and that if I came to 
Jesus, he would pardon my sins, give me a new 
heart, and help me to live like a man. I came 
to Jesus. He did for me as you said he would. 
And now I am living like a man. I have a 
happy wife, and a comfortable home. But I owe 
it all to you. God bless you, sir ! There’s noth- 
ing in the world I would not gladly do, to show 
my love for you, if it would do you any good.’ ” 


THE ASS, 


305 


Now certainly that man showed his gratitude 
to Mr. Gough, for bringing him to the Saviour. 

I have only one other illustration. We may 
call it — 


LOVE TO PINT HIM OUT.’’ 

A gentleman, while travelling through one of 
our southern states, came to a river which he 
had to cross in order to pursue his journey. 
Joe Brown, a colored boatman, who had charge 
of a ferry-boat, came and offered to take him 
over. The gentleman took a seat in the bow of 
the boat, while Joe, stepping into his place, be- 
gan to pull on the oars, and the boat was soon 
gliding swiftly out into the stream. Several 
sloops were in sight, going up and down the 
river. All at once Joe stopped rowing. He 
pulled in the oars, and springing to his feet, took 
off his ragged old straw hat, and shading his 
eyes with his hand, looked earnestly at some ob- 
ject on one of the sloops in the distance. 

Then he cried out : As I’m a libbing man, 
dat am de Captin ! ” 

The gentleman started from his musing and 
20 


306 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


looked towards the distant vessel, but could not 
see anything very distinctly. 

Don’t you see him, mister % ” said Joe. 

He dat strong, good-looking man leaning 
against de mast.” 

Perhaps I’ll see him when the vessel gets a 
little nearer,” said the gentleman. 

I want yer to see de Captin,” said Joe. 

Who is the Captain ? ” asked the gentleman. 

De Captin % ” said Joe, with a look of sur- 
prise. He am de man what sabed me. I can’t 
miss seeing him while he am in sight.” 

How did he save you, Joe ? ” 

He strip off his coat, and jumped into de 
ribber and cotch hole of dis chile wid his strong 
arm, just as he was sinking into the great depths, 
with the ropes around his feet. Dat am de way 
he sabed me,” said Joe, with very great feel- 
ing.. 

You have not forgotten to be grateful, I 
see.” 

Grateful ! Why I’d breave ever breff I draw 
for him, if I could. I tole him I would work all 
de rest of my days for him without pay. But he 


THE ASS. 


307 


wouldn’t let me. So I stay as close to him as I 
ken. He runs by here ’bout ebery two weeks. 
So I alius watches for him, and I love to pint 
him out. It’s all dis poor nigger can do.” 

And if that poor man felt so much gratitude 
to him who saved his body from drowning, by sim- 
ply plunging into the water, how much gratitude 
do we owe to the blessed Saviour, who died in 
agony upon the cross in order to save our souls 
from everlasting death ? 

Now, where is our text to-day ? Numbers 
xxii. 28. What are the words of the text ? 

And the ass saw the angel of the Lord.” What 
is the sermon about I What sort of an animal 
the ass is. How many things about it did we 
speak of ? Three. What was the first ? It is a 
sensible animal. What is the second ? It is a 
useful animal. What is the third ? It is a 
grateful animal. Let us all ask God, by His 
grace and blessing to make us sensible, useful, 
and grateful : then we shall be happy in serving 
God, while we are here on earth, and when we 
die we shall find a glorious reward awaiting us 
in heaven. 


XII. 

THE ELEPHANT. 


Once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, 
and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks .” — 1 Kings x. 22. 

The elephant is an animal which is not men- 
tioned directly in the Bible. There are frequent 
references made to ivory, the product of that ani- 
mal, but the word elephant is nowhere found 
in Holy Writ. Some writers have thought that 
the behemoth described in the book of Job, 
was the elephant, but it is now generally consid- 
ered that the animal described in this book is the 
hippopotamus, or great water-horse of the river 
Nile. It was because this animal had tusks, that 
it was supposed to be the elephant ; but new that 
people have been able to see the hippopotamus 
for themselves, and have compared it with the 

wonderful description in Job, that they have come 
(308i 


Elephants 


















THE ELEPHANT. 


309 


to the conclusion that it is not the elephant which 
is meant. 

The words from the book of Job are as follows : 

Behold now behemoth, which I made with 
thee ; he eateth grass as an ox. 

^^Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and 
his force is in the navel of his belly. 

He moveth his tail like a cedar. 

His bones are as strong pieces of brass f his 
bones are like bars of iron. 

He is the chief of the ways of God : he that 
made him can make his sword to approach imto 
him. 

Surely the mountains bring him forth food, 
where all the beasts of the field play. 

He lieth under the shady trees, in the co- 
vert of the reed, and fens. 

^^The shady trees cover him with their shad- 
ow ; the willows of the brook compass him about. 

Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth 
not : he trusteth that he can draw up J ordan in- 
to his mouth. 

He taketh it with his eyes ; his nose pierc- 
eth through snares.’’ 


310 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


The earliest mention of ivory in the Scriptures 
is to be found in 1 Kings x. 18. Moreover 
the king made a great throne of ivory and over- 
laid it with the best gold.^^ We see then that 
ivory was considered of great value in the days 
of king Solomon. The words of our text to-day 
show us this. 

King Solomon and Hiram, King of Tyre, had 
each of them a navy, and the vessels in this 
navy went every three years as far as India, or 
Tarshish, bringing gold and silver, ivory, and 
apes, and peacocks.” These animals, no doubt, 
were brought to Jerusalem for King Solomon^s 
Zoological Gardens there. The Hebrew names 
given to the apes, the peacocks, and the ivory, 
are almost identical with the words used in the 
Cingalese language of the present day. We no- 
where read in the Bible that any elephant was 
ever brought to Jerusalem, but we read a great 
deal about ivory, the product of the elephant, 
being brought there. 

The Hebrew word for ivory is shevij i, e., a 
tooth. The Israelites knew perfectly well that 
ivory was the product of a tooth of some great 


THE ELEPHANT. 


311 


animal, and not of a mere horn, like a goat’s 
horn, or cow’s horn. 

In the marginal reading of our text to-day, 
about the ivory coming into Jerusalem along 
with the apes and the peacocks, for King Solo- 
mon’s garden, the word translated ivory,” 
reads elephants’ teeth ; ” so that while we do 
not read of elephants in the Bible, we do read 
of the ivory which was manufactured out of 
their tusks. There are a number of places in 
the Bible in which ivory is distinctly men- 
tioned as forming part of the adornment of 
houses. 

One of these is in Psalm xlv. 8 : All thy 
garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, out 
of the ivory palaces whereby they have made 
thee glad.” 

Another instance is that found in 1 Kings 
xxii. 39 : Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, 
and all that he did, and the ivory house which 
he made, are they not written in the book of the 
Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.” 

The use of ivory as an article of luxury is also 
mentioned in Amos vi. 4 : Woe to them that 


812 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves 
upon their couches.” 

And in Ezekiel xxvii. 6, in the description of 
the costly materials out of which the Assyrians 
built their ships, we read that the very benches 
on which the rowers sat, were inlaid with ivory. 

There is only one place in the New Testament 
in which ivory is mentioned. It is found in 
Revelation xviii. 11, 12: ^^And the merchants 
of the earth shall weep and mourn over her : for 
no man buyeth their merchandise any more ; 
the merchandise of gold and silver, and precious 
stones, and all manner vessels of ivory.” 

The elephant is put to many uses. If he can- 
not thread a needle, he can pick one up from the 
ground with his trunk. His sense of touch is 
very delicate. 

An elephant was once left to take care of a 
little boy baby. This he did with wonderful 
care and gentleness. If the baby strayed off too 
far, the elephant would stretch out his long trunk 
and bring the little wanderer back. 

In the year 1863 an elephant was employed at 
a station in India, to pile up heavy logs, a work 


THE ELEPHANT 


313 


which these animals will do with great neatness 
and speed. The Superintendent suspected the 
keeper of stealing the rice gh^en for the animaPs 
food. The keeper, of course, denied the charge, 
but the elephant, who was standing by, laid hold 
of a large wrapper, which the man wore around 
his waist, and tearing it open, let out some 
quarts of rice, which the fellow had stored away 
under the folds. 

So closely do elephants remember the meaning 
of the signs which have been taught them, that 
they wdll instantly obey the gentlest signal, such 
as the lifting of a finger, or the slightest touch 
on their ears. 

Mr. Jesse, the keeper of an elephant in Lon- 
don, was once giving him some potatoes, when 
one fell on the floor, just beyond the sweep of 
the creature^s trunk. There was a wall a few 
inches behind the potato, and blowing strongly, 
the sagacious animal sent it so hard against the 
wall that the potato rebounded, and on the recoil 
came back near enough for the elephant to seize 
it. 

The elephant likes music, easily learns to mark 


314 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


the time, and to move in step to the sound of 
drums. His smell is exquisite, and he likes per- 
fumes of all kinds, and above all, fragrant 
flowers ; he chooses them, picks them one by 
one, and makes bouquets of them, and after 
having relished the smell, carries them to his 
mouth, and seems to taste them. 

The elephant is a very interesting animal, and 
teaches us four important lessons. 

I. 

First of all, the elephant is an example of 
bravery. 

All boys like to be considered brave. To be 
called a coward is the most horrible disgrace. 

The elephant is a very brave animal, and, in 
olden times, was used as an engine of war. 

In the Book of Maccabees, which is found 
among the Books known as the Apocrypha, we 
find that the elephant is mentioned as the very 
embodiment of all that is brave. 

In the first Book of Maccabees, first chapter, 
verses sixteen and seventeen, we read as 
follows : 


THE ELEPHANT. 


315 


^^Now when the kingdom was established, 
before Antiochus, he thought to reign over 
Egypt, that he might have the dominion of the 
two realms. 

Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a 
great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, 
and horsemen, and a great navy.^’ 

We see by this that the elephant was consid- 
ered a very beneficial engine of war ; and the 
king of Egypt was so frightened by these in- 
vaders, that he took to flight, and allowed 
Antiochus to take possession of the country. 

After this, we read that Antiochus marched 
against Jerusalem with a vast army, which is 
described as follows : 

The number of his army was an hundred 
thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horse- 
men, and two and thirty elephants exercised in 
battle. 

And to the end that they might provoke the 
elephants to fight, they showed them the blood 
of grapes and mulberries. 

Moreover, they divided the beasts among the 
armies, and for every elephant they appointed a 


310 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and 
with helmets of brass on their heads, and besides 
this, for every beast were ordained five hundred 
horsemen of the best. 

These were ready at every occasion, and 
wheresoever the beast was and whithersoever the 
beast went, they went also, neither departed 
they from him. 

And upon the beasts were there strong 
towers of wood, which covered every one of 
them, and were girt fast unto them with devices ; 
there were also upon every one, two and thirty 
strong men, that fought upon them, besides the 
Indian that ruled him. 

As for the remnant of the horsemen, they 
set them on this side and that side at the two 
parts of the host, giving them signs what to do, 
and being harnessed all over amidst the ranks.^^ 
— 1 Maccabees vi. 30-36. 

We can see by this quotation from the Macca- 
bees, that the thirty-two elephants were looked 
upon in very much the same way, that the Romans 
regarded their chariots of war, or as in the 
present day we think of the artillery of the 


THE ELEPHANT. 


317 


army. In olden days, the mention of the 
Indian that ruled the elephant, shows us that 
the present custom of having men sit on the 
elephant^s head to guide him, runs hack through 
centuries. 

When Julius Csesar crossed the Alps and con- 
quered Gaul, and when Hannibal crossed the same 
mountains to attack Home, we read of the ele- 
phants which they had in their armies, and they 
were always looked upon in the light of artillery. 

One of the old writers, in describing the ele- 
phant, as a fighting force in the army, writes : 

The military elephant did carry four persons 
on his bare back ; one fighting on the right hand 
and another on the left hand ; the third, which 
stood fighting on the back of the elephant, and 
the fourth in the middle of these, guiding and 
holding the reins, and guiding the beast in the 
transaction of the objects ; as vital in this, es- 
pecially wherein was needed equal knowledge and 
dexterity. For when the Indian which ruled 
them, said strike here on the right hand, or else 
on the left hand, or refrain, and stand still, no 
reasonable men could yield obedience.’^ 


318 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


This old writer, whose name was Topsel, 
seems to have been greatly interested in the 
description of the elephant as a fighter in the 
army ; and further describes the courage of the 
elephant as follows : 

They did fasten iron chains fast all upon the 
elephant that was to bear ten to fifteen, twenty, 
or thirty men ; on either side they put panniers 
of iron, bound underneath their belly j upon 
them all like panniers of wood, hollow, wherein 
they placed their men at arms, and covered them 
over with small boards ; for the trunk of the ele- 
phant was covered with a mail for defence ; and 
upon that a broad sword two cubits long. This, 
as also the wooden castle, or pannier aforesaid, 
first to the neck, and then to the back of the ele- 
phant. Being thus armed, they entered the bat- 
tle. And they showed unto the beasts, to make 
them ferocious, wine and liquor, made of rice, 
and a white cloth ; for at the sight of any of 
these, his courage and rage increaseth above 
measure. And his horrible voice is wonderful ; 
his body is a terrible force ; his admirable skill ; 
his ready and inestimable obedience, is a strange 


THE ELEPHAN7\ 


319 


sight, seldom seen, especially as produced in 
battle.” 

We read a great deal about the elephant as a 
military arm, oi* weapon, in the book oi Apocry- 
pha, in the wars which the Maccabees were wag- 
ing with their Syrian enemies. No other meth- 
od of checking the elephant, except by self-sac- 
rifice, could be found ; and in the First Macca- 
bees vi. 43 to 46, wc read how Eleazer, the son 
of Matthias, nobly devoted himself for his coun- 
try. Eleazer, also named Savaran, perceived 
that one of the beasts, armed with royal harness, 
was higher than all the rest, and supposing that 
the King was upon him, put himself in jeopardy 
to the end that he might deliver his people, and 
get himself a perpetual name j whereupon he 
ran upon him courageously, in the midst of the 
battle, slaying on the right hand and upon the 
left, so that they were divided from him cn both 
sides ; which done, he crept under the elephant 
and thrust him under and slew him, whereupon 
the elephant fell down upon him and he died. 

Now, my dear children, we all ought to be as 
brave in fighting evil, as the elephant is in 


320 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


fighting the side to which he is opposed. An 
old hymn says that 

“ Satan trembles when he sees 
The weakest saint upon his knees.” 

/ 

The only way to overcome Satan is by 
fighting him, and never giving in, in the con- 
flict. 

A young lady, who had been a very earnest 
Christian, began to grow cold and indifferent, 
and a great change came over her. This was 
observed with a great deal of sadness by her 
friends, and her minister, who happened to see 
her, said to her, My dear young friend, how 
comes it that you have changed so much of late ? 
You were one of the most zealous of Christians, 
and now you seem to have lost all interest in re- 
ligion.’’ 

will tell you,” she replied. ^^When I first 
became a Christian, I made it a practice to read 
my Bible regularly, and to pray every night be- 
fore going to sleep. During the past winter it 
has been very cold, and I thought that it would 
be just as well if I prayed in bed. And now I 


THE ELEPHANT. 


321 


want to tell you that it is these feather-bed 
prayers that have done the mischief.” 

We can never drive off Satan by feather-bed 
prayers. We have got to use stronger weapons 
than that. ^ 

Many a time has Satan succeeded in his efforts 
to overcome frail humanity, but in no case could 
he have done so if always and ever his victims 
had known how to use the sword of the Spirit, 
which is the word of God.” It is written,^ 
said our Saviour in the wilderness, and Satan 
departed from him.” 

What’s wrang wi’ ye noo f I thought ye 
were a’ richt,” said one Scotch boy to another 
who had recently been converted, but who was 
still disquieted and desponding. What’s 
Wrang wi’ ye noo ? ” 

Man, I’m no richt yet,” replied the other, 
for Satan’s aye tempting me.” 

And what dae ye then f ” asked his friend. 

I try,” said he, to sing a hymn.” 

And does that no’ send him awa’ ? ” 

No, I’m as bad as ever.” 

Weel,” said the other, when he tempts 
21 


322 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


ye again, try him wi’ a text ; he canna staun 
that;' 

This is the great remedy for temptation ; and 
we can only conquer our adversary, the Devil, 
by the Word of truth, by the power of God, by 
the armor of righteousness on the right hand 
and on the left. 

Here is the way in which a little girl fought 
Satan : 

A little girl sat upon the large stone door-step 
of her father's house, and beside her was a 
boy of about the same age. He had been eating 
a fresh, rosy apple, and had thrown the core 
into the gutter beyond the walk, and watched it 
as the muddy water carried it from his sight ; 
then turning back to his playmate, who seemed 
absorbed in the pictures of a new book, he said : 

Give me your apple, Katie ; mine's all 
gone." 

Not now ; wait a little while,'’ was the reply. 

But the greedy little fellow, not willing to 
wait, took the apple up, turned it round and 
round, smelled it, and then tossed it up lightly in 
bis hands, each time catching it again. I ex- 


THE ELEPHANT. 


323 


pected his teeth would go into it, but he was too 
honest for that. 

At last it dropped'from his hands, rolled into 
the gutter, and was borne away. 

His cry brought the eyes of the little girl 
upon him. The blood mounted to her brow *, she 
was at once upon her feet, with one hand raised, 
apparently to strike the shrinking form beside 
her. But the hand did not fall ; and she stood, 
her face and form showing the struggle within. 
I prayed that she might not be too strongly 
tempted. 

A moment more, and her voice fell on my 
ear : 

Go away, Satan ! go away ! 

The mother within heard the words, too, and, 
coming out, asked what they meant. A blush 
was upon the brow of the child, but it was hu- 
mility and shame that caused it, while, with 
drooping head, she answered : Satan wanted 
me to strike Freddie; but I didn’t.^^ 

The mother drew her within her arms, and 
kissed her, saying : That is right, my child ; 
resist him, and he will flee from you.’’ 


324 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


Now, my dear children, the wonderful thing 
about bravery is that wherever it appears in life 
it holds on to your nature to the very^end. Here 
is a story which will illustrate this. 

At the close of 1793 the Indian fleet was de* 
tained in the Downs, and at Spithead, from 
Christmas to April following. During the de- 
tention a mutiny broke out on board the Dutton, 
which threatened to be attended with serious 
consequences. The captain and lieutenant had 
left the vessel, and the inferior officers having 
lost their command, were firing pistols overhead. 
Serious apprehension was felt lest the men 
should gain access to the powder magazine, and 
madly end the strife by their own death and 
that of all on board. 

It was at this critical moment that Captain 
Haldane, of the Melville Castle, appeared at the 
side of the vessel. His approach was the signal 
for renewed and angry tumult. The shouts of 
the officers, ^ Come on board ; come on board !’ 
were drowned by the cries of the mutineers, 

‘ Keep off, or we’ll sink you ! ’ 

The scene was appalling ; and to venture into 


THE ELEPHANT. 


325 


tlie midst of the angry crew seemed to be an act 
of daring almost amounting to rashnessc Order- 
ing his men to veer round by the stern, in a 
few moments Captain Haldane was on the quar- 
ter-deck. His first object was to restore to the 
officers composure and presence of mind. He 
refused to head an immediate attack on the mu- 
tineers, but very calmly reasoned with the men, 
sword in hand, telling them that they had no 
business there, and asking what they hoped to 
effect in the presence of twenty sail of the 
line. 

The quarter-deck was soon cleared ; but ob- 
serving that there was still much confusion, and 
inquiring where the chief danger lay, he went 
down immediately at the very point of alarm. 
Two of the crew, intoxicated with spirits, and 
more hardy than the rest, were at the door of the 
powder magazine, threatening with horrid oaths 
that whether it should prove heaven or hell, they 
would blow up the ship. One of them was in the 
act of wrenching off the iron bars from the doors, 
whilst the other had a shovel fidl of live coals 
ready to throw in. Captain Haldane instantly 


326 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


putting a pistol to the breast of the man with 
the iron bar, told him that if he stirred he was a 
dead man. Calling for the irons of the ship, he 
saw them placed, first on this man, and then on 
the other. The rest of the ringleaders were also 
secured, and the mutiny was quelled through 
the courage and energy of Captain Haldane.” 

Quitting the navy. Captain Haldane devoted 
his fortune and his life to the cause of Bible Truth. 
The same energy and zeal marked his career, 
as he fought the Lord’s battles with weapons 
which were not carnal. 

The first lesson which we learn from the ele- 
phant, is the lesson of bravery. 

II. 

The second lesson which we learn from the 
elephant is the lesson of gentleness, 

I was reading the other day about the ele- 
phant as a gentle nurse, and the story is found as 
follows : 

A large elephant showed, by the constant 
flagellation of his person, that he was much an- 
noyed by his persecutors, the mosquitoes ; and 


THE ELEPHANT. 


327 


just at that time the keeper brought a little 
naked black thing, as round as a ball, which in 
India I believe they call a child, and laid it down 
before the animal with two words in Hindu- 
stanee, Watch it,’^ and then walked away in 
the town. The elephant immediately broke off 
the larger part of a bough, so as to make a 
smaller and more convenient whisk, and directed 
his whole attention to the child, gently fanning 
the little lump of India ink, and driving away 
every mosquito which came near it. This he 
continued for upward of two hours, regardless of 
himself, until the keeper returned. It was 
really a beautiful sight, causing much reflection. 
Here was a monster, whose weight exceeded 
that of the infant by at least a thousand times, 
acknowledging that the image of his Maker, even 
in the lowest degree of perfection, was divine ; 
silently proving the truth of the sacred an- 
nouncement, that God hath given to man do- 
minion over the beast of the field.” And here, 
too, was a brute animal setting an example of de- 
votion and self-denial that but few Christians, 
none indeed but a mother, could have practised. 


328 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


For an elephant to be gentle, is the greatest 
lesson to us all, to follow the example of this 
mammoth beast. We would expect that the 
elephant could be strong, or of service in moving 
logs ; but for an elephant to be gentle, seems to 
us something very surprising. 

Wise men are members of the Wisconsin 
Dairymen^s Association. Upon the wall of the 
room in which its annual meeting was recently 
held was hung this motto : 

Talk to your cow as you would to a 
lady.^^ 

The dairyman who wrote that motto has, con- 
sciously or unconsciously, applied the Hebrew 
proverbs about a soft answer,’^ and a soft 
tongue,” to the management of cows. We doubt 
not that his cows are not only good milkers, but 
gentle. 

A gentleman^s horses and cattle will be gentle, 
for he treats them with a consideration similar in 
spirit to that which he metes out to his neighbors. 
They know that their master is also their friend, 
and therefore, they heed his words and return 
his friendship. Boys sometimes ornament the 


THE ELEPHANT, 


329 


barn with pictures and posters. We wish they 
would hang over the stable and cow-shed these 
proverbs : 

A soft answer turneth away wrath, but 
grievous words stir up anger,^^ 

By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, 
and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.’’ 

As every school-boy knows, a gentle answer 
calms an irritated companion. Even the most 
obstinate, who would resist opposition as a bone 
withstands the strongest jaws, is overcome by 
winning words. Let our farmers’ boys try the 
influence of Solomon’s proverbs upon the stock 
they care for. 

The other day I was reading a wonderful ac- 
count of the power of gentleness as shown by a 
little girl. The story is as follows : 

There is a little girl, of six years of age, a 
daughter of Mr. David Thomas, who lives on the 
borders of a pond which supplies water for the 
furnace works at Weare river, who has a most 
wonderful control over a class of animals hitherto 
thought to be untamable. For a year or two 
past, the little girl has been in the habit of play- 


330 


BIBLE ^ANIMALS. 


ing about the pond and throwing crumbs into 
the water for the fishes. By degrees these timid 
creatures have become so tame as to come at 
her call, follow her about the pond, and eat from 
her hand. 

A gentleman went down there a few days 
since with his young daughter, to see the little 
creatures and their mistress. At first the fishes 
were deceived, and came up to the surface of 
the water as the gentleman^s daughter approach- 
ed, but in a moment they discovered their mis- 
take, and whisked away from the stranger in 
high dudgeon. 

Their own mistress then came up and called, 
and they crowded up, clustering about her hands 
to receive the crumbs. She had, besides, a tur- 
tle, or tortoise, which has been maimed in the 
leg. This creature lives in the pond, and seems 
to be entirely under the control of the little girl, 
obeying her voice, and feeding from her hand. 
We have just returned from a visit to the pond, 
and have seen the little bright-eyed girl sporting 
with her obedient swarms of pickerel, pout, and 
shiners, patting them on the head, stroking their 


THE ELEPHANT. 


331 


sides, and letting them slip through her hands. 
She has her favorites among them. A pout, 
which has been marked on the head in some 
way, and the turtle we spoke of, are remarkably 
intelligent. A more beautiful instance of the 
influence of kindness and gentleness, can hardly 
be found.” 

And we all ought to strive to imitate the gen- 
tleness of the elephant ; and above all other 
places, we ought to try to be gentle at home. 
It is shameful to think that at times a person 
will act more impolitely to his wife or his sister, 
than he would to a stranger. A gentleman, 
or a gentlewoman, is not one who is polite 
in company alone, but is one who shows that 
he possesses a gentle spirit, by being kind 
and gentle to the weak, the poor, and the 
suffering. 

The second lesson which we learn from the 
elephant, is the lesson of gentleness. 

III. 

The third lesson which we learn from the ele- 
phant, is the lesson of common sense. 


332 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


The elephant has a good business head. 
Strange as it may seem, lazy, clumsy-looking as 
elephants are in our menageries, where he is 
merely an object of curiosity, in Asia, he is as 
useful an animal as the horse, and he is employ- 
ed in a greater variety of ways. There are few 
or no tasks which the horse can be trusted to 
perform without constant guidance, whereas the 
elephant may be given as much freedom as many 
men would have, to perform the same task. 
This is notably the case in the lumber yards of 
Rangoon, where -the entire operation of mov- 
ing heavy timber is by male elephants, without 
any supervision of the men. It is strange to 
think of elephants as being in the lumber busi- 
ness, but this is really the case. In Rangoon, 
the logs to be moved are teakwood, which is 
very heavy. They are cut into lengths of 
twenty feet, with a diameter, or perhaps a 
square, of about a foot. An elephant will go to 
a log, kneel down, thrust his tusks under the 
middle of it, curl his trunk over it, test it to see 
that it is evenly balanced, and then rise with it, 
and easily carry it to the pile which is being 


THE ELEPHANT. 


333 


made. Placing the log carefully on the pile in 
its proper place, the sagacious animal will step 
back a few paces, and measure with his eye to 
determine whether or not the log needs pushing 
the one way or another. It will then make any 
necessary alteration of position. In this way, 
without a word of command from its mahout, or 
driver, it will go on with its work. 

To do any special task, it must, of course, be 
directed by the mahout ; but it is marvellous 
to see how readily this great creature compre- 
hends its instructions, and how ingeniously it 
makes use of its strength. If a log too heav^ 
to be carried is to be moved a short distance, 
the elephant will bend low, place his great head 
against the end of the log, and then, with a 
sudden exertion of strength and weight, throw 
his body forward, and fairly push -the log along ; 
or, to move the log any great distance, he will 
encircle it with a chain and drag his load behind 
him. • 

As a rule, however, the work of dragging is 
done by the female elephants, since, having no 
tusks, they cannot carry logs as the male ele- 


334 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


phants do. A man could hardly display more 
judgment in the adjustment of the rope or chain 
around a log, nor could a man with two hands tie 
and untie knots more skilfully than do the ele- 
phants with their trunks. 

The elephant is a great example for those of us 
who want to be common-sense Christians. The 
world of common sense, and the world of Chris- 
tian living lie very close together. It was when 
our Lord saw that the scribe answered dis- 
creetly that He said : Thou art not far from 
the Kingdom of God.” 

Common sense and the Spirit of God keep 
very close company. 

I was reading a short time ago about a servant- 
girl who showed her common sense in religion. 

The story is called — 

“l HANGED ON AND PEATED.” 

A few days since, a gentleman, aged, but 
ambitious, was engaged in painting his house. 
A portion of the corniee seemed to be quite 
inaecessible, but by placing a ladder on the 
roof of a piazza, it could be reached. This 


THE ELEPHANT. 


335 


could be accomplished, however, only by 
extreme carefulness, and the ascent would 
be attended with great risk, as the ladder 
was almost perpendicular, and liable to fall 
back. 

The old gentleman entered, and requested the 
servant girl of the family to come out and hold 
the ladder steadily at its base, while he 
ascended it. She was frightened at - the idea 
of his attempt, and entreated him to relinquish 
it. He stubbornly refused to follow her advice, 
and commanded her to • take a position on the 
roof by means of a chamber window. Trem- 
bling and terrified, she obeyed. Step by step 
he climbed until he reached the topmost round. 
She held her breath as he reached up with his 
brush to paint the ornament which extended out 
beyond the cornice, fearing every moment that” 
he woidd fall to the ground and be instantly 
killed. She grew dizzy with excitement, her 
lips were colorless, and her face became as pale 
as the snow. But still she clung to the ladder 
and held it firmly. If she had loosened her 
grasp for a moment, too well she knew what the 


336 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


result would be. Finally her suspense was 
over, for he descended safely, having executed 
his design. 

Soon afterward the servant might have been 
heard repeating this adventure to her mis- 
tress. 

What did you do 1 exclaimed the old lady 
in frightened tones, fully realizing a sense of 
the danger passed. 

Why, I just hanged on and prayed^^^ said the 
girl, feelingly. 

The hanging on was probably the most 
efficient,’^ said the old gentleman, somewhat 
skeptically. 

Oh, I prayed so that I could hang on,” said 
the girl. 

The third lesson which the elephant teaches 
us is the lesson of common sense. 


lY. 

The fourth lesson which the elephant teaches 
us, is the lesson of obedience. 

An elephant in Calcutta had a disease in his 
eyes. For three days he had been completely 


THE ELEPHANT 


337 


blind. His owner, an engineer officer, asked 
the doctor if he could do anything to relieve the 
poor animal. The doctor said he would try the 
nitrate of silver, which was a remedy commonly 
applied to similar diseases in the human eye. 
The large animal was ordered to lie down, and 
at first, on the application of the remedy, raised 
a most extraordinary roar at the acute pain 
which it occasioned. The effect, however, was 
wonderful. The eye was in a manner restored, 
and the animal could partially see. The next 
day, when he was brought, and heard the doc- 
tor's voice, he lay down of himself, placed his 
enormous head on one side, curled up his 
trunk, drew in his breath just like a man 
about to endure an operation, gave a sigh of 
relief when it was over, and then, by trunk 
and gesture^ evidently wished to express his 
gratitude. 

A great blessing always comes to the obedient 
boy. The disobedient boy is a hard case, and 
it is not easy to do anything with him. And we 
don^t like such a boy, and we don^t like to think 

about him j but a truly obedient boy is the de- 
22 


838 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


light of our eyes. He will come out right, and 
make a man. 

Once upon a time a circus came to town, and 
everybody knows how the music, and the grand 
tent, and horses, set all the little boys agoing. 
Quarters and shillings are in great demand, and 
many a choice bit of money have the circus 
riders carried away, which was meant for better 
purposes. 

A little boy was seen looking around the 
premises with a great deal of curiosity. Hal- 
loa, Johnny,” said a man who knew him, going 
to the circus 

No, sir,” answered Johnny, father don^t 
like ^em.” 

Oh, well ! I’ll give you money to go, John- 
ny,” said the man. 

Father don’t approve of them,” answered 
Johnny. 

“ Well, go for once, and I’ll pay for you.” 

No, sir ; ” said Johnny, “ my father would 
give me money if he thought it was best j be- 
sides, IVe got twenty-five cents in my strong 
box — twice enough to go.” 


THE ELEPHANT. 


339 


go, Johnny, for once; it is wonderful 
the way the horses do,’’ said the man. Your 
father needn’t know it.” 

I sha’n’t,” said the hoy. 

Now why ? ” asked the man. 

’Cause,” said Johnny, twirling his hare toes 
in the sand, after I’ve heen I could not look 
my father right in the eye, and I can now.” 

The man gave up, and didn’t try any more. 
Johnny was a hrave and plucky little fellow. 
But he was hrave because he was obedient. 

When the late Horace Maynard, our Minister 
to Turkey, during the days of the great Rebel- 
lion, entered Amherst College, he placed a big 
letter ‘ W ” over his door ; and for a time, con- 
siderable curiosity was aroused on the part of 
his college mates, to know the meaning of it. 
But all inquiry failed, and the subject was 
finally forgotten. At commencement, when the 
young man graduated, he was appointed to de- 
liver the Valedictory address, and during the 
address, he said : My young friends, I will 
now explain to you what that mysterious letter 
W’ signified. It meant Waledictory ; ’ and 


340 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


from the time I entered this college, I deter- 
mined that I would bend all my efforts to secure 
, this honor ; and I kept myself obedient to this 
object, which I had placed before me, as the 
end of my college life.’^ 

I was reading the other day a funny fable 
about two men and a bear. It seems that two 
men had to go through a great wood. One of 
them was short and stout, and one was tall and 
slim. 

I could not run fast or climb well,^^ said the 
short one *, if a foe, man or beast, came on me, 
I should have to stand my ground.^^ 

Have no fear,^^ said the slim man. I can 
run fast and climb well ; but still it is my rule to 
stand my ground — I would fight for you to the 
last. I fear no man or beast, not I. Hark ! 
what is that noise ? 

t 

I am sure,’’ said the short man, that is the 
growl of a bear j I know there are bears in this 
wood.” 

The bear was soon in sight. The tall man 
ran a short way and hid in a tree. The short 
one fell flat on his face on the ground and held 


THE ELEPHANT. 


341 


his breath. The bear came to him, smelt him, 
and thought he was dead. So he left him, and 
with a gruff growl or two went his way. 

When the bear was out of sight the short man 
rose from the ground and the tall man came 
down from the tree. 

What did the bear say to you, my friend ? ” 
said the tall man to the short one. I saw him 
put his mouth close to your ear.^^ 

He told me,’^ said the short man, to 
put no trust in one who brags in the way 
you do, for those who boast so much are not 
brave.^^ 

My dear children, let us learn not to talk 
about our faith, or to sing about our faith, or to 
preach about our faith, but let us learn to act our 
faith, and to practise our Lord^s words, If ye 
know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.^^ 

These, then, are the four lessons which we 
learn from the elephant : 

The first lesson we learn from the elephant is 
the lesson of courage. 

The second lesson we learn is the lesson of 
gentleness. 


342 BIBLE ANIMALS. 

The third lesson we learn is the lesson of 
common sense. 

The fourth lesson we learn is the lesson of 
obedience. 

Not long ago one of Barnum’s elephants was 
in danger of losing his sight, and the surgeon 
who had been called to examine the huge ani- 
mal induced him to submit to an operation that 
the eye could be saved. Accordingly the poor 
animal was tied down, and some caustic fluid 
was dropped into his eye. The elephant roared 
with pain ; but on the following day the eye 
that was treated was much better. The surgeon 
thought he would have a terrible time operating 
on the other eye j but his surprise can be im- 
agined, when the great beast stretched himself 
out and submitted readily to the operation. The 
elephant had recognized the skill of the operation 
performed by his benefactor. 

Now, my dear children, whenever you see an 
elephant, be it as big as Jumbo, or as small as 
the baby elephant, let that big waddling animal 
stand to you as an object lesson of God^s wisdom 
in creation ; and bear in mind that this object 


THE ELEPHANT. 


343 


Jesson, the elephant, who rolls along the sawdust 
ring like an old sailor who has just landed, 
teaches us these four lessons : to be brave 5 to be 
gentle ; to use common sense j and to be obe- 
dient. 


XIII. 


THE SCORPION. 

“ That great and terrible wilderness whei'ein tvere fiery serpents 
and scorpions ^ — Deut. viii. 15. 

Our subject to-day is the scorpion — a dreadful 
insect, which is as full of lessons as it is of 
venom. 

The scorpion is a reptile of which we fre- 
quently read in ancient history. They are ex- 
ceedingly common in Palestine, and they are a 
constant son ce of terror to the travellers there 
until they become accustomed to them. 

The scorpion is in reality a terrible kind of 
spider, and has the venom claw at the end of its 
body, and not in its jaw. Scorpions do not look 
unlike lobsters, as we see them, collected in a 
basket, on their way to market. These uncom- 
fortable creatures, the scorpions, manage in some 
(344) 


THE SCORPION. 


345 


way to secrete themselves in hidden nooks and 
corners, and one experienced in travelling in the 
East — where scorpions abound — will be careful 
where he takes his seat, until he has discovered 
whether there are any scorpions or venomous spi- 
ders hidden under the rocks near where he may 
happen to be. 

Nooks and comers in walls are the places where 
scorpions delight to take refuge ; so that one 
who travels in the East learns very soon the 
places in which to expect these insects. The 
scorpion has a peculiar venom, some of the 
larger scorpions being able to make a man very 
ill, and even to kill him, if he should be one 
subject to inflammation. 

The scorpions were so much feared by the 
early Christians, and the Apostles of our Lord, 
that we find he promised them safety from their 
stings, and the bite of poisonous reptiles. 

A writer of natural history says ; 

After a person has been stung once by a 
scorpion, he suffers comparatively little the sec- 
ond time, and that if he be stung three or four 
times, the only pain that he suffers arises from 


346 


BIBLE AAVMALS. 


the bite, which is like a mosquito bite. Sailors 
say that after a week at sea, the poison of a 
scorpion loses its power, and they care noth- 
ing about the scorpions which are sure to come 
aboard, inside of the bundles of firewood.’’ 

We will now take a few passages from the 
Word of God, wherein reference is made to the 
scorpion. As might be expected, most of these 
references are to the poisonous quality of the 
scorpion’s sting, but one or two allude to its 
habit of dwelling in desert places : 

JDeut. viii. 15 — Who led thee through that 
great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery 
serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where 
there was no water.” Another place where they 
are described in the Bible, is in Ezekiel ii. 6 : 

And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, 
neither be afraid of their words ; though briars 
and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell 
among scorpions ; be not afraid of their words, 
nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be 
a rebellious house.” 

The passages which mention the poison of the 
scorpion occur in the New Testament. One of 


THE SCORPION, 


347 


these is found in Rev. ix. 5 : And to them it 
was given that they should not kill them, but 
that they should be tormented five months 5 and 
their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, 
when he striketh a man.^’ Also in verse 10 of 
the same chapter we read, And they had tails 
like unto scorpions, and there were stings in 
their tails ; and their power was to hurt men 
five months. Another passage is that used by 
our Lord, Luke xi. 12, where he says : Or if 
he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion 
And in St. Luke x. 19, our Lord says • Behold, 
I give unto you the power to tread on serpents 
and scorpions, and over all the power of the 
enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt 
you.’^ 

There is a famous story in the Old Testament, 
in which a scorpion is concerned ^ it forms a 
part of the angry counsel given to Rehoboam by 
his friends, when there was a threatening of re- 
volt in the united kingdom of Israel. The old 
men counselled him to be kind and tender, in the 
words that he uttered to those who were contem- 
plating revolt, but Rehoboam yielded to the ad * 


348 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


vice of his young friends and companions, and 
said to those who asked him for favor : And 
now, whereas my father did lade you with a 
heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father 
hath chastised you with whips, but I will chas- 
tise you with scorpions. So Jeroboam and all 
the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as 
the king had appointed, saying. Come to me 
again the third day. And the king answered 
the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s 
counsel that they gave him j and spake to them 
after the counsel of the young men, saying, my 
father made your yoke heavy, and I will add 
to your yoke 5 my father also chastised you with 
whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” — • 
1 Kings xii. 11-14. 

What Rehoboam meant by these words is 
plain enough, namely : that he was going to be 
more severe than his father had been, but what 
he really meant by whipping the rebels with 
scorpions,” was probably a reference to a terri- 
ble kind of whip called a scorpion, which is 
something like the knout used in Russia at the 
present day. 


THE SCORPION. 


349 


This fearful instrument — the scorpion — was 
made on purpose to punish slaves, so that 
merely to refer to the scorpion was itself an 
insult. It was made up of a number of throngs 
of leather, each of which ended with a knob of 
metal, tipped with metal hacked so that it 
looked liked the jointed and hacked tail of 
the scorpion. This fearful weapon of pun- 
ishment could kill a man in a moment, by 
two or three blows, and it was sometimes 
used in the amphitheatres : a gladiator armed 
with a scorpion being matched against one 
armed with a spear.* 

That many scorpions were found in Palestine 
and its neighborhood may be seen from the 
fact that a pass between the south end of 
the Dead Sea and Mount Sion was named 
for it. The southern boundary of Judah is 
said to be Maaleh-acrabbim.^^ 

The words in the Bible where it is described 
are as follows : And it went out to the south 
side to Maaleh-acrabbim, or the mountain of 


♦ “ Bible Animals,” by J. G. Wood, p. 643. 


350 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


scorpions, and passed along to Zin, and ascended 
up on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea, and 
passed along to Herzon, and went up to Adar, 
and fetched a compass to Karkaa .^’ — Joshua xv. 
iii. The literal translation of these words, 
Maaleh-acrabbim, is : they are sent of scor- 
pions,^’ or ^^the scorpion pass.” 

We have allusions in the Scriptures to other 
poisonous insects, such as the spider, the worm, 
and the horse-leech ; but the scorpion is the 
most dreadful of all Bible insects. So that to 
say of any animals, that they had tails like unto 
scorpions, and that their stings were in their 
tails, is to say the most dreadful thing that is 
possible of any living creature. 

Lobsters look fierce enough as we see them in 
the baskets, but if we add to lobsters the power 
of a venomous sting, we will have some idea of 
what a scorpion is like. The nearest approach 
to a scorpion which it was my fortune to have, 
was a South American tarantula. This insect 
was as large as my doubled-up fist, and was 
given to me by a sea captain who got it from 
Brazil. He brought it in a little cage, such as 


THE SCORPION, 


351 


the canary birds are brought in when they are 
taken to market to be sold. 

This tarantula had been forty days at sea with- 
out eating or drinking anything, and I supposed 
that he was dead. I took him out of the cage, 
and put him on the mantel-piece, keeping him 
there as a sort of dead curiosity. 

One warm day in Juno when I came home, I 
found my tarantula walking around the mantel 
piece quite lively ; he had six or eight legs, 
covered with hair and bristles, and had two big 
eyes in the centre of his body, and he looked 
like the pictures of the devil-fish, as described by 
Victor Hugo. I tied a piece of string around 
one of his legs, and took him out for a walk 
across the room. He hadn^t anything to eat 
for about fifty days, but he seemed very lively, 
and after he had straightened out his legs 
and got them limbered into use, he fairly ran 
across the floor. My tarantula soon became 
an object of terror to the household, and my 
friends and family would not come into the room 
where he was, as he had an awkward way of 
jumping about, and pouncing down on my desk. 


352 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


as a monkey would swing from bough to bough 
in the forest. When the very hot weather came 
on, in July, he became so venturesome that he 
thought nothing of walking down-stairs to the 
dining-room, to put in an appearance at the din- 
ner table ; this was too much for the peace and 
well being of the family, so the tarantula was 
drowned in a quart of alcohol, and was presented 
to the Academy of Natural Sciences,^^ where he 
now adorns one of the shelves in their new build- 
ing in Philadelphia. 

This was the nearest approach I ever had in 
my life to any experience with a scorpion. The 
naturalist Tristram, in his Review of the Physi- 
cal Geography of the Holy Land, says, Scor- 
pions are carniverous, feeding chiefly on beetles 
and locusts *, they swarm in every part of Pales- 
tine, and are found in houses, chinks of walls, 
among rocks and under stones, whether in dry or 
moist situations. It is always necessary, before 
pitching tents, to turn up every stone, however 
small, lest scorpions should be secreted ; as when 
disturbed or aroused by the warmth of the camp, 
they will strike at and sting any person or ob- 


THE SCORPION. 


353 


ject within reach. So numerous are they that 
in the warmer parts of the country, every third 
stone is sure to conceal one. Eight species have 
already been described from Palestine, and we 
find several additional kinds varying in color and 
in size. The largest and most dangerous species 
is black, and about six inches long. Others are 
yellow, brown, white, and reddish. Others are 
striped and banded. They lie dormant during 
the cold weather, but are very easily roused 
and excited. The young are carried for some 
days on the back of the female, until they are 
old enough to provide for themselves.” 

So much then for the scorpion ; let us now 
learn the lessons which this venomous creature 
teaches us. 


I. 

First of all we learn from the scorpion the les- 
son of the hidden power of venom. 

By venom we mean poison, or virus, or any 
noxious matter which is secreted in any part of 
our being. Venom comes from the Latin word 

venenum, which means drug or poison. 

23 


354 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Venomous thoughts are thoughts of malice, 
and spite, and malignity ; that is why we always 
want to kill a viper, or a snake, or a black 
spider, because we know that it is filled with 
venom, or poison, or some noxious material 
which will give us pain, or perhaps cause us 
death. A venomous writer is one who is malig- 
nant and mischievous. A venomous neighbor 
is one who is spiteful, and has evil designs 
upon us. 

We don’t know how it is that we have this 
evil within us, but it is very evident that in 
some way venom is within us, just as truly as it 
is within the poisonous scorpion. 

There was a rich nobleman in England, who 
had a little daughter named Anne. They were 
very fond of her, for she was a fine little crea- 
ture, very lively, and merry, and affectionate, 
and exceedingly beautiful. But she had a very 
bad temper. When anything vexed her, she 
would fly into a rage, and turn and strike any 
one that provoked her. After every fit of anger 
she would be ashamed and sorry, and resolve 
never to do so again. But the next time she was 


THE SCORPION, 


355 


provoked it was all forgotten, and she was as 
angry as ever. 

When she was between four and five years of 
age, her mother had a little son, a sweet, little, 
tender baby. Anne^s nurse, who was thought- 
less and wicked, loved to tease her, because she 
was so easily irritated, and so she told her that 
her father and mother would not care for her 
now, because all their love and pleasure would 
be in this little brother, and they would not mind 
her. Poor Anne burst into a flood of tears, and 
cried bitterly, saying, You are a naughty 
woman to say so ! Mamma will always love me ; 
I know she will, and 1^11 go this very moment 
and ask her.’^ 

And she ran out of the nursery, and hastened 
to her mothers room. The servant called after 
her, Come, Miss, you needn^t go to your 
mothers room ; she won^t see you now.” 

Anne burst open the door, but was instantly 
caught hold of by a strange woman she had 
never seen before. 

‘ My dear,” said this woman, you cannot 
see your mother just now ; ” and she was goin^ 


356 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


on to tell tliat it was because she was very sick, 
and could not be disturbed. But she was too 
angry to listen, and she screamed and kicked at 
the woman, who was obliged to take her by force 
and carry her back to the nursery. When she 
put her down, she gave the servant a charge not 
to let her go to her mother’s room. This added 
to her rage. But the thoughtless, wicked ser- 
vant, instead of trying to soothe and quiet her, 
burst out into a laugh, and said, I told you 
that, Miss ; you see your mamma does not love 
you now.” 

Then the poor child became mad with fury. 
She seized a smoothing-iron, and, darting for- 
ward, threw it upon the baby’s head, as it lay 
in the cradle. The child gave one struggle, and 
breathed no more. 

Anne’s mother died that night of grief. Anne 
grew up in the possession of great riches. She 
had every outward comfort about her, that 
money could procure, but she was a very un- 
happy and miserable woman. She was never 
known to smile. The thought of the terrible 
consequences of that one outburst of passion, 


THE SCORPION. 


357 


pressed upon her like a heavy burden, all her 
days. Ah ! what a saddened woman this girl 
became ! She was a child of sorrow to all about 
her. Her venomous hate had made her so. If 
you give way to such tempers, my dear young 
friends, you will certainly come to be like the 
scorpion ; but if you strive and pray against such 
feelings, and try to be gentle, kind, and pleas- 
ant, to those around you, then you will be chil- 
dren of blessing to your parents. 

Let us beware of this hidden power of venom 
within us, for the poison as of asps ’’ is indeed 
under our lips. The first lesson of warning 
which the scorpion teaches us, is the lesson of 
the hidden power of venom. 

II. 

The second lesson we learn from the scorpion 
is the lesson of the poisoning power of sin. 

The following illustrates what we. mean. It 
is a story entitled — 

ONE DROP OF EVIL. 

I don’t see why you wont let me play with 
Will Hunt,” pouted Walter Kirk. I know he 


358 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


doesn^t always mind his mother, and smokes 
cigars, and once in a while swears just a little ; 
hut I have been brought up better than that, he 
wonH hurt me. I should think you would trust 
me ; I might do him some good.’’ 

‘^Walter,” said his mother, ^^take this glass 
of pure water, and put just one drop of ink in it.” 

Oh ! mother, who would have thought one 
drop would blacken the whole glass so ! ” 

Yes, it has changed the color of the whole, 
has it not ? It is a shame to do that ; just put a 
drop of clear water in it, to restore its purity,” 
said Mrs. Kirk. 

Why, mother, you are laughing at me ! 
One drop, nor a dozen, nor fifty, wont do that.” 

No, my son, and therefore I can’t allow one 
drop of Will Hunt’s evil nature to mingle with 
your careful training j many drops of which will 
make no impression on him.” 

And this was perfectly true. In the chemical 
laboratories of our colleges, there are many 
experiments made, which show us the wonder- 
ful power of a single drop of poison. A great 
bottle of colorless water will become a thick and 


THE SCORPION. 


359 


clouded white in an instant by the addition of a 
single drop of the prepared chemical ; and one 
drop of poison such as strychnia will paralyze in 
an instant, a living being — such as the gold-fish, 
turtles and tadpoles, which we see in a vase of 
water. 

But none of these poisons are so powerful as 
the poison of sin. St. James says in his Epistle ; 

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth 
forth sin : and sin, when it is finished, bringeth 
forth death .^’ — James i. 15. 

I was reading, some time ago, a story which 
shows us the poisoning power of sin. 

A man, who wished to buy a handsome ring, 
went into a jewellers in Paris. The jeweller 
showed him a very ancient gold ring, remarka- 
bly fine, and curious on this account, that on the 
inside of it were two little lion^s claws. The 
buyer, while looking at the others, was playing 
with this. At last he purchased another, and 
went away. But he had scarcely reached home, 
when first his hand, then his side, then his 
whole body became numb and without feeling, 
as if he had a stroke of palsy ; and it grew 


360 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


worse and worse, till the physician, who came in 
haste, thought him dying. 

You must have somehow taken poison,^^ he 
said. * N 

The sick man protested that he had not. 

At length, some one remembered this ring j 
and it was then discovered to be what used to 
be called a death-ring, and which was often 
employed in those wicked Italian states three or 
four hundred years ago. If a man hated 
another, and desired to murder him, he would 
present him with one of them. In the inside was 
a drop of deadly poison, and a very small hole 
out of which it would not make its way except 
when squeezed. When the poor man was 
wearing it, the murderer would come and shake 
his hand violently, the lion^s claw would give 
his finger a little scratch, and in a few hours he 
was a dead man. 

Now you see why I tell you this story. For 
four hundred years this ring had kept its poison, 
and at the end of that time it was strong enough 
almost to kill the man who had unintentionally 
scratched his finger with the claw ; for he was 


THE SCORPION. 


361 


only saved by great skill on the part of the physi- 
cian, and by the strongest medicines. I thought 
when I read that story how like this poison was 
to sin. You may commit a sin now, and for the 
present forget it ; and perhaps ten or twelve 
years hence the wound you then gave your- 
self, may break ouf again, and that more dan- 
gerously than ever. And the greatest danger 
of all is lest the thoughts of sins we have com- 
mitted, and the pleasure we had in commit- 
ting them, should come back upon us in the 
hour of death. 

The second lesson which we leara from the 
scorpion is the lesson of the poisoning power of 
sin. 

III. 

The third and last lesson that we learn from 
the scorpion is the lesson of the misery of spite- 
fulness. 

There is nothing in life so miserable and con- 
temptible as the spirit of spitefulness : that is, 
the spirit of envy at another’s success. 

There is something spiteful and venomous 


362 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


about the bite of an insect or reptile ; a bite 
from a mosquito, a spider, or a snake will 
always make us think of the spitefulness of the 
creature that has bitten us. 

The wasp and the hornet seem spiteful in 
their hate ; while the busy bee gives us his buzz 
as a note of warning. 

I was reading some time ago a story of how a 
boy secured a prize through spite. He had 
passed every other boy in the class, with the ex- 
ception of one student, whom he never could 
excel. Do what he would, he had to come in 
second, with his hated rival always first. At 
last he discovered that his antagonist had a way 
of fingering a certain button on his coat, the top 
button on his jacket, and that when he was re- 
citing or speaking a piece for a prize, or coming 
in to an examination, he would be always finger- 
ing this top button. 

One day as they were going into the exami- 
nation-room, this envious boy clipped off the but- 
ton with a pair of scissors, unknown to his com- 
panion, and when the boy came to make his re- 
citation, and found that his metal button was 


THE SCORPION. 


363 


gone, he was thrown off his guard, stumbled — • 
faltered — took his seat — and failed ! His rival 
gained the prize, but he gained it because of the 
scorpion-like sting of spitefulness, whereby he 
overcame his adversary. 

I was reading the other day a story of the ef- 
fect of spitefulness, or how it was that a girl suf- 
fered from retributive Providence : 

Three girls were school-fellows, two of whom 
by superior goodness and diligence, advanced 
rapidly in their classes. The third, too indolent 
and careless to endeavor to excel, notwithstand- 
ing, indulged in the most evil feelings against her 
more fortunate companions. She hated the one 
who bore off the premiums, and envied the other 
whose amiability had won for her the love of the 
whole school. Day by day these wicked pas- 
sions grew stronger in her breast, until they 
ended in a burning desire to revenge herself on 
her innocent school-fellows ; who had no suspi- 
cion of her feelings with regard to them, but as- 
cribed her dark looks and bitter words to ill 
temper. The wretched girl, in her desire for 
vengeance, determined upon a plan as cruel as it 


364 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


was awfully wicked, and with desperate coolness 
she pursued her design. At various times she 
procured small quantities of poison : until she 
thought she had obtained sufficient to destroy life, 
and then watched for a favorable opportunity to 
bring her design to bear. It came sooner than 
she had hoped for, for the girl who had incurred 
her hatred had taken cold, her amiable friend 
attending upon her with a sister’s care. One 
evening, as she was preparing a cooling drink 
for the invalid, the miserable victim of envy 
took advantage of a moment when her attention 
was withdrawn, and mixed the deadly poison 
with the drink. 

Quite unsuspicious of what had taken place, 
the kind-hearted girl bore the drink to her 
friend, who, fortunately for herself, had fallen 
into a profound sleep. A servant, coming into 
the room soon after, carried away the cup, with 
others. 

Fancying the draught was already doing its 
deadly work, the would-be murderess was pro- 
ceeding to her room, when, passing an open door, 
she saw a cup of lemonade, as she thought, on a 


THE SCORPION. 


365 


table, and feeling thirsty, she drank it, and has- 
tened up-stairs. But judgment had overtaken 
her ; it was the very drink she had poisoned for 
the invalid, and of which, with such consummate 
art, she had made her friend the bearer, intend- 
ing her to fall under suspicion for the deed. 

Sharp screams of anguish soon rang through 
the house, as the poison began to take effect; and 
when both the objects of her rancorous feelings, 
stood, with the t>ther inmates of the house, be- 
side the dying girl, they were horrified to learn 
from her lips, the fate she had designed for 
them, and to see the awful malignity of the looks 
she cast upon them. 

Death itself did not obliterate the traces of her 
violent sufferings, which left their mark on her 
distorted face, made still more frightful by the 
stamp of hate and envy. 

These then are the lessons which we learn 
from the venomous scorpion, whose sting is in 
its tail, and who is itself the very embodiment 
of venom. 

First, we learn a lesson of the hidden power 
of venom. 


366 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Second, we learn a lesson of the poisoning 
power of sin. 

Third, we learn a lesson of the misery of 
spitefulness. 

It is said of St, Patrick, the apostle to Ireland, 
that he drove out the snakes from that country. 

Let us learn to drive the serpents and scor- 
pions out of our own nature, and to realize our 
Lord^s words, when He said : 

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on 
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power 
of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means 
hurt you.” 


XIV. 


THE DOVE. 

‘‘-Be ye harmless as doves'^ — Matthew x. 16 . 

The dove is oftener mentioned in the Bible than 
any other bird, or than all the other birds put 
together. 

We find it spoken of for the first time in the 
eighth chapter of Genesis. The deluge had 
then taken place, by which all the inhabitants 
of the earth had been drowned, except Noah and 
his family, who were saved in the ark. After 
the waters of the flood had been decreasing for 
some time, Noah wanted to find out whether the 
earth was dry enough for himself and family to 
leave the ark, and venture on the land again. 
He first sent forth a raven to find out how things 
were on the land. But the raven kept on flying 

about, and did not return to the ark. Then he 

( 367 ) 


368 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


sent out a dove ; and finding that the earth was 
still covered with water, and that there was no 
place where it could rest, the dove returned at 
once to the ark. It had nothing to say to Noah, 
but he understood what was meant by its 
coming back to him. After this, he waited for 
seven days more, and then sent out the dove 
again. In a little while, it came back to the 
ark once more, holding the leaf of an olive tree 
in its bill. On seeing this, Noah knew that the 
water was gradually going off, and that the 
trees were beginning to appear. After this, he 
waited seven days more, and then sent out the 
dove again. But, finding that the earth was 
dry, the dove lodged on the branches of the trees, 
and did not return again to the ark. Then 
Noah knew that the waters of the flood had dis- 
appeared from the earth ; but still he waited till 
God told him to take his family, and go out of 
the ark. 

The dove was the .only one among all the 
birds that was allowed to be offered as a sacri- 
fice to God. When infants were presented for 
the first time to God in the temple, if their 


THE DOVE. 


369 


parents could afford it, they were required by 
the Jewish law, to offer a young lamb as a sacri- 
fice. But if they were too poor to buy a lamb, 
they were allowed to bring two doves as a sacri- 
fice instead of the lamb, as they were much 
cheaper. When our blessed Saviour, as an in- 
fant, was first presented to God in the temple 
at Jerusalem, His parents could not afford to 
buy a lamb for a sacrifice, and so, instead of 
that, they offered a pair of turtle doves. And 
thus the dove was connected in this interesting 
way with the early history of our Saviour. 

And when He became of age, and was about 
to enter on His public ministry, after He had 
been baptized in the river Jordan by John the 
Baptist, we are told that the heavens were 
opened above Him, and the Holy Spirit came 
down in the shape of a dove, and abode upon 
Him. And it is pleasant to find the dove con- 
nected in these two ways with the person and 
work of Jesus. 

The dove is not a large bird. It is about the 
size of an ordinary pigeon. But it has a pleas- 
ing shape, and its color is very beautiful. 

24 


370 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


David speaks of the dove’s wings as looking 
like silver and its feathers like gold . — Psalms 
lx. 13. 

Our sermon to-day is about the lessons taught 
us by the dove. And in studying the habits and 
character of the dove, we find illustrations of 
three good lessons. 

I. 

The first of these is the lesson of gentleness, or 
Tcindness. 

When we look at the dove, it seems to stand 
before us as the very image of kindness and 
gentleness. 

Compare the dove with the eagle, or the 
hawk, and how very different it appears ! 
When we look at the strong beak, or the great 
sharp claws of the eagle or the hawk, we see in 
a moment that they were made for fighting. 
But it is very different with the dove. It has 
no strong beak, and no great sharp claws. 
This shows that fighting is not the dove’s 
mission in life. It is gentle, and loving, and 
kind. Here is an illustration of this. 


THE DOVE. 


37 ] 


We may call it — 

THE CRIPPLED DOVE. 

One day a dove was flying about, trying to 
get food for her young ones in the nest. 
While it was thus engaged, a boy who was 
passing along threw a stone, and hit it on the 
wing. This crippled the poor bird, and it fell 
to the ground. That boy ought to have been 
ashamed of himself. He did not belong to 

The Band of Mercy, or else the pledge of 
that band — I will try to be kind to all living 
creatures, and protect them from cruelty,’’ — 
would have kept him from throwing that stone. 

The poor bird lay fluttering on the ground, 
and trying in vain to get back to its nest. 
Presently some of its mates gathered around it, 
and seemed anxious to help it ; but they could 
not tell how to do this. Their cooing and chat- 
tering drew together a number of their compan- 
ions, from a large dove-cote near by. One 
seemed to think that this ought to be done, and 
another that something else would be better. 
Some tried to lift the helpless bird by taking 


872 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


hold of its wings with their beaks. But they 
could not do this ; so they kept on cooing and 
chattering. 

Presently two of the birds flew away, but 
came back in a little while, bringing with them 
a twig about six inches long, and an eighth of 
an inch thick. They laid this down before their 
poor crippled companion, and got her to take 
hold of it at one place with her beak, and at an- 
other with her two claws. Then two of the 
larger birds each took hold of one end of the 
twig, and rising on their wings, bore their 
wounded mate home to her nest ; and as they 
laid her down there, she cooed and chirped out 
her thanks to them in the liveliest possible way. 

And when we learn this lesson of gentleness, 
or kindness, which the dove teaches us, we shall 
find it very useful. Here is an illustration of 
this. We may call it : 

USING THE OIL. 

was trying, one day,” says a mechanic, 
to drive an iron bar through a heavy piece of 
timber. I bored a hole of the right size, but 


THE DOVE. 


373 


the bar was rusty, and the hole was rough. I 
kept on pounding away, but made slow pro- 
gress, and I saw that the wood was beginning 
to split. Then I thought of the oil can. I got 
it, and oiled the iron bar, and poured some oil 
into the hole, and then a few blows of the ham- 
mer sent the iron through to its place, without 
any trouble.’^ 

The oil had not lessened the size of the bar, 
nor increased that of the hole. It had only re- 
lieved the friction. It had smoothed both the 
surfaces. A few drops of oil were more effec- 
tive than many blows of the hammer would 
have been. And so, if we learn to make a right 
use of the oil of kindness, or gentleness, we shall 
find it a great help to us in boring our way 
through the troubles and trials of our daily life. 

I have just one other story to tell here. This 
shows us how much good may be done by a little 
use of the oil of kindness. We may call it — 

COALS OF FIRE. 

Farmer Dawson kept missing some com, that 
was taken every few nights from the crib in his 


374 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


bam, although the door was well secured with 
lock and key. 

Who can have stolen it ? asked his wife. 

It^s that lazy Tom Slocum,^’ he said. IVe 
suspected him all the time, and I won^t bear it 
any longer ! ’’ 

What makes you think it^s Tom ? ” she 
asked. 

Because he^s the only man around who 
hasn^t any corn, or anything else, indeed. He 
spent last summer in the saloons, while his 
neighbors were at work. Now they have plenty, 
and he has nothing.’’ 

But his family are suffering,” said the wife. 

They are sick, and in need of food and medi- 
cine. Don’t you think we ought to help 
them % ” 

No ! ” said the farmer, for if he finds that 
we take care of his family, it will encourage 
him to spend the next summer as he spent the 
last. The best thing will be to send him to 
jail, and his family to the poorhouse, and this is 
what I’m going to do. I’ve laid a plan to trap 
him this very night.” 


THE DOVE. 


375 


His wife pleaded earnestly with him for Tom^s 
poor family, and begged him to try the Scrip- 
tural rule of heaping coals of fire on his head, 
by showing him kindness. As her husband 
went out of the house, she said : 

Do try the coals of fire, first.’’ 

The farmer went to examine his barn, and 
find out how the com was stolen. Very soon 
he found a hole near the crib, large enough for 
a man to put his hand through. So he set a 
trap inside of the hole, which would catch the 
thief’s hand as soon as it was put through the 
hole, and keep him there till the trap was un . 
fastened. 

Early the next morning he started for the 
barn, to see what had taken place. On his way 
there, he said to himself, Shall I try my plan 
or my wife’s f Will the jail or the coals of fire 
be the best ? I think I’ll try the coals.” 

On reaching the barn, he found Tom Slocum, 
with his arm through the hole, and his hand 
caught in the trap. 

Hello, neighbor, what are you doing here?” 
he asked. 


376 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Poor Tom felt too much ashamed to say any- 
thing. 

Farmer Dawson loosed his hand from the trap, 
and, taking Tom^s sack, told him to hold it, 
while he filled it with the grain which he desired. 

There, Tom, take that,’’ said the farmer ; 
^^and, after this, when you want com, come to 
me, and I will let you have it on trust, or for 
work. I need another hand on the farm, and 
will give you steady work with good wages.” 

‘‘ Oh, sir ! ” said Tom, quite overcome, I’ve 
been wanting work 5 but no one would hire me. 
My family are suffering, and I am ashamed to 
beg.” 

^^Very well, Tom,” said the farmer 5 ^^now 
take this corn to the mill, and make things com- 
fortable about home to-day, and to-morrow we’ll 
begin. But there’s one thing we must agree 
about first.” 

Tom looked at him earnestly, as if he meant 
to say : And what’s that ? ” 

You must let whiskey alone,” said the 
farmer ; and promise me never to take an- 
other drop.” 


THE DOVE. 


377 


The tears sprang into Tom’s eyes, and his 
voice trembled as he said : You’ve been so 
kind to me, that I’m willing to do anything you 
ask me. I make the promise now, and by the 
help of God, I’ll try to keep it.” 

Farmer Dawson took Tom to the house, and 
gave him his breakfast, while his wife put up a 
basket of food for the suffering family in the 
poor man’s home. 

Tom went to work the next day, and kept 
steadily on with it. He stopped drinking and 
stealing, attended church and Sunday-school 
with his family, and became a respectable and 
useful member of society. 

How changed Tom Slocum is from what he 
once was ! ” said the farmer’s wife, one day. 

Yes,” replied her husband. It was the 
coals of fire that did it.” 

The first lesson we learn from the dove is the 
lesson of gentleness, or kindness. 


II. 

The second lesson we may learn from the dove is 
THE LESSON OF FAITHFULNESS. 


378 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Some of the Jewish writers have had a good deal 
to say about the reason why the dove was chosen 
by God to be used in sacrifice to Him, rather 
than other birds ; and the reason they give for 
it is : that the habits and character of the dove 
are so different from those of the others. There 
is the raven, for instance, and other birds of its 
tribe, as the crow and the magpie. These are 
all cunning, and deceptive, and thievish. But 
the dove, on the other hand, is always kind, 
and loving, and true. When a male and 
female dove agree to live together as heads of 
^ a family, they never change, but remain true 
and faithful to each other as long as they 
live. 

And then they show the same faithfulness in 
the care of their 4ittle ones. Here is a good 
illustration of this part of our subject. 

We may call it — 

THE DOVES^ FAITHFULNESS TO THEIR YOUNG. 

A gentleman in New Hampshire had a large 
dove-cote near his house, in which he kept 
a number of doves ; and he gives this 


THE DOVE. 


379. 


account of an incident whicli took place one 
winter in connection with those doves. 

Two of them had built their nest in the top 
story of the dove-cote, and had hatched their 
young ones, which came out of the eggs about 
the middle of February, 1876. 

On the seventeenth day of that month, a 
very severe snow storm set m at the close of 
the day. Now the door of the dove-cote looked 
towards the north-west. That was the quarter 
from which this storm was coming, so that the 
snow was blowing directly into the door of the 
dove-cote in which these little ones, only a few 
days old, were lying. 

The storm was very severe. It was the 
worst that had been known in that part of the 
country for many years. Exposed to that 
heavy storm, the young doves would have been 
frozen to death, if it had not been for the faith- 
fulness of the father-bird in trying to protect 
them. He stood in the door-way of his little 
home with his back toward the wind. He 
spread out his tail, so as to cover up the door, 
and kept fluttering his wings to shelter his poor 


380 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


little ones from the snow, and keep the cold 
wind from blowing on them. 

■ If it had not been for the faithful efforts of 
that father-bird, the little doves would all have 
been frozen to death. He stood there for hours 
with his tail and back all covered with the cold 
snow, and yet perfectly willing to bear all the 
suffering which it brought upon him, for the 
love which he had for his young ones, and his 
desire to protect them from harm. 

Certainly this was a very good illustration of 
the faithfulness of that dove. And the lesson 
thus nicely illustrated is one of the most import- 
ant lessons for us to learn in the discharge of all 
our duties. Our success in life depends on this 
more than anything else. 

Here are two other illustrations of the good 
that resulted from learning and practicing the 
lesson of faithfulness. 

The first of these may be called — 

THE REWARD OP FAITHFULNESS IN A GREAT THING. 

The great thing here referred to was the 
proper observance of the fourth command- 


THE DOVE. 


381 


ment, about keeping the Sabbath day holy. 

It was late one Saturday evening/’ says an 
English gentleman, when the stage in which I 
was travelling, over an American road, stopped, 
as I thought, only to change horses. 

^How long do you stay here ? ’ I asked the 
driver. 

^ Until morning,’ was his answer. 

^‘This was a great disappointment to me. 
The little town to which I was going was only 
about twenty miles further, and I wanted very 
much to get there that night. I made up my 
mind to try and hire a private carriage, and 
finish my journey before the Sabbath began. 
But 1 found it was impossible to do this. Then 
I concluded to spend the Sabbath there, before 
journeying any further. 

At the hotel where I was staying, I met a 
merchant whom I knew. Liko' myself, he was a 
professing Christian, but his views about the 
Sabbath were very different from mine. I found 
that he was going to start on his journey the 
next morning, which was Sunday, and he tried 
to persuade me to do the same. We had a long 


382 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


argument on the subject, but could not agree 
about it. He told me that if I didn’t start on 
Sunday morning, I should not be able to go till 
Wednesday. I told him I would rather wait that 
long, than dishonor God by breaking the Sabbath. 

^^We each pursued our own course j but see 
what the result was. He started on his journey 
the next morning. At the close of the day, just 
as they came, in sight of the town to which he 
was going, the stage was attacked by robbers, 
and the Sabbath-breaking merchant lost a large 
sum of money, which he had taken with him for 
making purchases. That was the result of his 
unfaithfulness to God’s command about the Sab- 
bath. 

stayed in that village till the following 
Wednesday,” says this gentleman ; and while 
there, I made the acquaintance of several per- 
sons, who have been warm friends of mine ever 
since ; and I was able to make arrangements for 
starting a Sunday-school on the next Sabbath. 
It was greatly needed there, and proved a bless- 
ing to the village. That was my reward for 
honoring God’s holy day.” 


THE DOVE. 


383 


God^s command about the Sabbath is a great 
thing. And thus we see how faithfulness in this 
great thing was rewarded. 

And here is an incident that shows us how 
faithfulness in a little thing was rewarded. 

This story is told by a New York merchant : 

One morning, some years ago,’’ says this 
gentleman, I was preparing to go down town 
to^my business, when the servant told me that a 
man was waiting at the front door to see me. 

^ Tell him I’ll be down in a moment,’ I said. 

On going to the door, a man of tall stature 
and healthy look, called me by name, an? asked 
me for help, saying that he had a large family, 
and a sick wife, and no means to get food for 
them. 

^ You seem to be strong and healthy ; why 
don’t you work % ’ I asked. 

^Simply, sir, because I cannot get work.’ 

^If I give you work, what pay do you 
want 1 ’ 

^ Anything, sir, you please to give me, so 
•that I can only get help for my suffering family,’ 

I thought I would try and find out if he 


384 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


really meant what he said. ^ Very well 5 ^ I said, 
^ I will give you twenty-five cents an hour if you 
will carry a brick on your arm, around this 
block, for five hours, without stopping.’ 

^ Thank you, sir ; I will do it.’ 

I got a brick, and placed it on the man’s 
arm, started him on his walk, and then went 
down town to my business. 

never supposed, for a moment, that the 
man would keep on all day doing what he had 
promised to do. I did not expect to find him 
there when I came back in the afternoon. But, 
as I came in sight of my house, I saw him walk- 
ing steadily along, with the brick on his arm. 
The neighbors were looking at him from their 
windows and doors as he paced along; some 
thought he was crazy, and a lot of boys were fol- 
lowing him, and making fun of him. But if any 
one spoke to him, his only answer was : 

^ Don’t stop me, it’s all right.” 

I went up to him, and taking him quietly by 
the arm, walked with him to my house. The 
poor fellow was very tired. I gave him a seat 
in the hall, and asked my servant to bring him 


THE DOVE. 


885 


something to eat. Then I gave him a dollar 
and a half, for what he had done. He told me 
that in one of his walks, a lady came out of a 
house, and asked him what he was carrying that 
brick for. He told her the reason, and she gave 
him a dollar. And when it was known why he 
was doing this, small sums of money were given 
him, by different persons, so that it had been 
quite a profitable day to him. But what am I 
to do to-morrow T’ he asked. " 

‘ Why,’ I said, ^ go to some of the persons 
from whom you received help to-day, and ask 
for work, and come to-morrow afternoon, and 
tell me how you get on.’ 

The next afternoon he came, and told me that 
he had found steady employment, at a store in the 
neighborhood, for a dollar a day. Before leaving 
he asked for the brick, which had made him so 
successful. I gave it to him, and he took it home. 
Not long after he called again, and told me that 
he then had a better situation in a larger firm, 
where his salary was a thousand dollars a year. 

“ Three or four years after this,” said the 

gentleman, I was riding in a street car, when 
25 


386 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


a well-dressed man spoke to me with a smile, 
and asked if I knew him. Seeing me hesitate, 
he said : Don’t you remember the man who 
carried the brick ? ” He then told me that he 
was now doing a prosperous business, on his own 
account ; that he had laid up considerable money, 
and was going to build a nice house for himself 
up town. 

^ And what became of the brick ? ’ I asked. 

^ That brick, sir, has always occupied a place 
on our mantel-piece. We value it, as the most 
precious of all our possessions. It has made our 
fortune.’ ” 

But, it was not the brick, which made that 
man’s fortune. It was God’s blessing on his 
faithfulness, in doing his duty, that made him so 
successful. And if we learn to be faithful, we 
may be sure that God will bless us. 

The second lesson that we learn from the 
dove, is the lesson of faithfulness. 

III. 

The third lesson we may learn from the dove is, 
THE LESSON OF PEACEFULNESS. 


THE DOVE. 


387 


The dove, with an olive leaf in its bill, is al- 
ways considered as the emblem of peace. There 
is something peaceful in the very appearance of 
the dove. Its nicely rounded form, the smooth-^ 
ness of its feathers, and the calm, quiet express- 
ion of ite eye, all seem to tell of peace. And 
then the soft, low”, gentle voice, with which we 
hear it cooing, always suggests the idea of peace. 
Audubon, the well-known traveller and ornithol- 
ogist, tells a story that comes in very well to 
illustrate this part of our subject. We may call 
it — 

THE PIRATE AND THE DOVES. 

I knew a man,” says Mr. Audubon, who 
had been connected with a band of pirates for 
some years. At the time to which I refer, he 
was an honest, useful man, at the head of a 
happy family. In a conversation which I had 
with him, on one occasion, he gave me this ac- 
count of the way in which he was led to give up 
being a pirate, and lead a different sort of life. 

^ Our vessel was anchored once, for some 
time, in a snug little harbor, on a good sized 


388 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


island, in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of 
Florida. We had several tents pitched on 
shore, and spent most of our time there. We 
used to get our supply of drinking water from a 
fountain that flowed out from a beautiful grove 
of trees, not far from our camp. In the grove 
surrounding that fountain, a number of doves 
had their nests. The gentle cooing of those 
doves used to have a strange effect on me. One 
day, having nothing to do, I went and took a 
seat by that fountain, and spent some time there 
in watching the motions of those doves, and lis- 
tening to their voices. The soft, gentle, peace- 
ful tones in which they were cooing, seemed to 
awaken my conscience. I thought of the quiet, 
peaceful lives they were living, and of the vio- 
lence and wrong-doing that marked my own life. 
While thinking thus, the sense of my sinfulness 
overwhelmed me. Then I threw myself on the 
ground, and bursting into tears, confessed my 
sins imto God, and asked Him to forgive me, 
and help me to turn round and lead a different 
life. Then I determined to take the first oppor- 
tunity of leaving my wicked companions, and 


THE DOVE. 


389 


getting back to my family and friends. It was 
a hard thing to do, but, with the help of God, I 
succeeded in doing it ; and now I am leading an 
honest, 'useful, happy life. And I thank God for 
making use of the gentle, peaceful voice of the 
dove, to bring about this change.’ ” 

And this lesson of peacefulness, which the 
dove teaches, is one that we should all try to 
learn and practice. Jesus, our blessed Saviour, 
is called The Prince of Peace.” The gospel 
which he preached is the gospel of peace.” 
When the angels sung their song of gladness 
over the birth of the infant Saviour, at Bethle- 
hem, they taught us that the object of His com- 
ing, was to bring peace on earth, and good will 
towards men.” And if we want to be true 
Christians, we must have a peaceful spirit, and 
speak peaceful words, and do peaceful works, 
wherever we go. Here are two short illustra- 
tions of the good we may do, if we learn and 
practice this important lesson of peacefulness. 
The first may be called : 


390 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


THE PEACE-MAKING BOY. 

Two boys, named Willie and Charley, the sons 
of pious parents, had a violent quarrel, one day, 
over a game of marbles, and separated in great 
anger with each other. But, in a little while, 
one of them got somewhat cooler, as he thought 
of the Bible command: ^^Let not the sun go 
down upon your wrath.’^ Then, just before sun- 
set, he went to the house of his friend, and 
knocked at the door. Charley opened the door, 
and seeing Willie there, started back in surprise 
and anger. 

Charley,’’ said Willie, the sun will soon 
set. The Bible says we musn’t let it go down 
on our wrath.” And reaching out his hand cor- 
dially to his friend, he said, I’m very sorry 
that I got so angry ; let us make peace, Charley.” 

This touched Charley’s heart, and with his 
eyes full of tears, he took hold of his friend’s 
hand, and shook it warmly, as he said: ^^1 thank 
you, Willie, dear, with all my h^art, for this 
visit.” 

And so their anger was put away, and peace 


THE DOVE. 


391 


/ 


was restored between them, and they became 
warmer friends than they had ever been before. 

The other story may be called — 

A PEACEFUL SPIRIT DOING GOOD AND GETTING 
GOOD. 

A poor, cripf)led beggar, in the street of a 
large city, was trying to pick up some old 
clothes that had been thrown to him from a win- 
dow, when a crowd of rude boys gathered round 
him. They mocked his awkward motions, and 
made fun of him, in his rags and helplessness. 

Presently a noble little fellow came up, who 
had a real peaceful spirit, and pushing aside the 
crowd, he helped the poor crippled man to 
pick up his gifts, and bound them in a bundle. 
And then, placing a piece of silver in the poor 
man’s hand, he was hastening away, when a 
voice from an upper window was heard, saying : 

Little boy with a straw hat, look up.” 

He did so, and the lady, leaning out from an 
open window, said earnestly : God bless you, 
my little fellow ; and I am sure that he will bless 
you for your kindness to that poor man.” 


392 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


Then she asked his name, and wrote it down, 
with his residence. This ladj was the wife of a 
very distinguished man, and any boy would 
have felt proud to have her speak so favorably 
of him. And when that kind-hearted boy 
thought of the poor beggar^s grateful look, then 
of the lady’s smile, and her words of kind 
approval ; and especially when he remembered 
the passages in the Bible in which God says : 

Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the 
least of these, my servants, ye have done it 
unto me,’’ and, “ Blessed are the merciful : for 
they shall obtain mercy,” we can imagine how 
glad and happy he had made his own heart by 
the good which he had done to another. 

Not long after this, the lady just spoken of, 
heard that this kind-hearted boy had applied for 
a situation, to a merchant who was a particular 
friend of hers. She went immediately to see 
him, and spoke of the boy in such warm, strong 
language, that he at once obtained the situation 
which he desired, and that was the beginning of 
a successful business life to him. 

And when we think of the good which this 


THE DOVE. 


393 


boy did to another by his kindness, and of the 
blessing which it brought upon himself, we may 
well speak of him as illustrating the usefulness of 
each of the three lessons that we learn from the 
dove : the lesson of gentleness, of faithfulness, 
and of peacefulness. 

Where is our text to-day ? Matthew x. 16. 
What are the words of the text ? Be ye 
harmless as doves.^’ What is the sermon about! 
The lessons taught us by the dove. How many 
lessons did we learn from the dove ! Three. 
What was the first ! The lesson of gentleness or 
kindness. What was the second ! The lesson 
of faithfulness. And what was the third ? The 
lesson of peacefulness. 

Let us all ask God to give us grace to learn 
and practice the three important lessons, of 
which we have been speaking, and then we 
shall be useful, and happy, wherever we may 
be. 


XV. 


THE MONKEY. 

^'Bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes .’’ — 1 Kings x. 22. 

We come to-day to the most curious and inter- 
esting and amusing of all the creatures in the 
animal world. There is nothing in the animal 
world so funny as the monkey. He looks like 
an old man, and seems to know a great deal. 
The monkey cage at the Zoological Gardens is 
always the one where the children congregate 
most. The monkey is scarcely a Bible animal. 
Monkeys, as such, are not mentioned in the Old 
or New Testament. 

But in the first book of Kings, and second 
book of Chronicles, the historian gives an ac- 
count of the cargoes which were brought by 
king Solomon’s fleet to Tarshish, the articles 
found in the ships being, ^^gold and ivory, pea- 
cocks and apes.” King Solomon must have had 
(394) 


THE MONKEY. 


395 


some great Zoological Garden, for which he was 
always collecting new material. He was contin- 
ually bringing from the east, from India, and the 
Mediterranean ports, all sorts of curious and in- 
teresting objects, for his great city of Jerusalem, 
so that very probably, the elephants, and pea- 
cocks, and monkeys, which came to King Solo- 
mon^s Garden in Jerusalem, came from India, or 
the large Island of Ceylon. 

It would be much easier to write' five or six 
sermons about this animal, than to condense all 
that we can find about him into one discourse j 
but we will try in this sermon, to find out some- 
thing about the monkey, and then — hard as it 
may seem — we will try to find the lessons which 
this curious teacher gives us. Of all the lower 
animals, the monkey race approaches nearest to 
the structure of man. Monkeys also possess a 
very large share of sagacity j they will act in 
concert with each other, and seem by nature de- 
voted to mischief, apparently merely from the 
love of mischief itself. When they perform 
their tricks on people, they seem to enjoy the 
fun to the utmost. 


396 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


I had a monkey, once, which I kept in a large 
room in my house, called the play-room. This 
monkey used to sit in the window, and look at 
the people passing along the street. He would 
try to catch - their glances, and would bow, and 
make grimaces at them, as if he wanted above 
all things to make them laugh. Then he would 
hide thimbles, scissors, needles. Prayer books, 
Bibles, and everything he could get. When 
alone in thS room, he would put these things in 
nooks and cornefs, where he thought no one 
would be able to find them ; and then, when 
any one would come into the room, he would sit 
upon his box and look at the visitors, as if T^it- 
ing to see if they were not surprised at losing 
their valuables. My monkey ^s name was Jocko 5 
we had a parrot in the same room, and Jocko 
tried the old story of pulling out the parrot^s 
feathers, and in every way he seemed to think 
that the chief end of life was, to make fun. 

The word monkey is derived from the 
word monakin,^^ meaning a little old man. 
The first person who ever described a monkey 
in the English language, called it a monakin,” 


THE MONKEY. 


397 


because it was so much like a little old man. 
The word monkey has come to stand in a 
great many ways, for the thought of a little imi- 
tation of a larger thing. A monkey boat is a 
little boat ; a monkey jacket is a little jacket ; 
monkey bread is a little piece of bread ; a mon- 
key block is a small block, used on shipboard ; 
a monkey wrench is a little wrench, which is 
made in imitation of a larger one. So that the 
words to monkey,^^ has come to mean ‘^to imi- 
tate,^’ and this is because one peculiarity of the 
monkey is his power of imitation. 

The expression to pluck a crow,” has come 
from the story of a monkey, who used to put a 
part of his food at the foot of a pole, for the 
crows to collect j then the monkey would hide 
behind the pole, and would suddenly stretch out 
his arm, and seize one of the crows about the 
neck, and would deliberately climb up the pole 
again to his accustomed seat j there the monkey 
would slowly pick the feathers off the bird, one 
by one, until there were none left, and after this 
would throw the bird away. Of course, ever 
after, the other crows would avoid the plucked 


398 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


crow, and from this habit of the monkey the 
expression to pluck a crow has originated. 

Another expression which has its origin with 
the monkey, is the expression to make use of 
the cat’s paw.” This story originated as follows: 
A monkey was left alone in a room where there 
were some chestnuts roasting on the stove. The 
monkey wanted to get them out of the frying- 
pan, but was afraid to put his soft paw into the 
steaming dish ; so presently he got hold of the 
cat, and with her paw knocked the chestnuts out 
of the frying-pan. 

And from this story has originated the expres- 
sion to be made a cat’s paw of,” by which is 
meant the habit of making use of another person 
to do an unpleasant piece of work for us. 

The monkey is a great reader of human 
character, and can read the half- expressed emo- 
tions in the human face. An angry look at 
once puts a monkey on his guard. They are most 
unmistakably the clowns of the animal world. 
Monkeys do not know how to fight, but they do 
know how to bully their fellow beings by intimi- 
dating gestures. 


THE MOXJCEY, 


399 


Monkeys are great hands for quarrelling, and 
always talk hack, and keep on talking to the 
last. Their one idea of getting out of trouble is 
by running away. They are good hands to 
conduct a retreat. 

They all steal, and delight in stealing. They 
are light-fingered gentry, and are first-class 
pick-pockets. They get into no end of trouble 
by their curious habits of investigation. They 
are martyrs to free inquiry, as I once found out 
when I saw three monkeys in a cage — running 
around with a lobster^s claw attached to their 
tails. They had been playing with the lobsters, 
and the lobsters had nipped them. 

Monkeys' have a wonderful power of simulat- 
ing great passions and tender feelings. 

A gentleman who knows a great deal about 
monkeys, says : Two years ago I took tem- 
porary charge of a young chimpanzee who was 
awaiting shipment to the Pacific coast. His 
former landlord seemed to have indulged him in 
his habit of rummaging boxes and coffers : 
for when I attempted to circumscribe the limits 
of that pastime, my boarder tried to ^ bring 


400 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


down the house/ — metaphorically and literally — 
by throwing himself upon the floor, and tugging 
violently at the curtains and bell-ropes. If that 
failed to soften my heart, Pansy became sick. 
With groans and sobs he would lie down in a 
corner, preparing to shed the mortal coil, adjust- 
ing the pathos of the closing scene to the degree 
of my obstinacy. 

One day he had set his heart upon exploring 
the letter department of my chest of drawers, 
and after driving him off several times, I locked 
the door, and pocketed the key. Pansy did not 
suspect the full meaning of my act, until he had 
pulled at the knobs and squinted through the 
keyhole. But when he realized the truth, life 
was not worth living ! He collapsed at once, 
and had hardly strength enough left to drag 
himself to the stove. There he lay, bemoaning 
his untimely fate, and stretching his legs as if the 
rigor mortis (stiffness of death) had already over- 
come his lower extremities. Ten . minutes later 
his supper was brought in, and I directed the 
boy to leave the basket behind the stove, in full 
sight of my guest j but Pansy’s eyes assumed a 


THE MONKEY. 


401 


far-off expression — ^life had lost its charms ! 
The inhumanity of man to man had made him 
sick of this ^ vale of tears.’ Meaning to try him, 
I accompanied the hoy to the staircase, and the 
victim of my cruelty gave me a parting look of 
intensest reproach, as I left the room; but steal- 
ing back on tip-toe, we managed to come upon 
him unawares, and Pansy looked rather sheepish 
when we caught him in the act of enjoying an 
excellent meal.” 

The monkey belongs to what is known as the 
^ Quadrumana,’ or the monkey tribe. The Quad- 
rumanus, or four-handed animals are familiarly 
known by the titles of apes, baboons and monkeys. 

Although these animals can stand erect, their 
general attitude is on all fours, like other ani- 
mals. The most accomplished ape is but a bad 
walker when it discards the use of the two upper 
limbs, and trusts to the support of the hinder 
legs only. However carefully a monkey may be 
educated, it never can stand erect like a man. 
He imitates man, but he cannot do what man 
does ; hence the very word which describes the 

monkey class is the ape.” 

26 


402 


BIBLK ANIMALS. 


N 


There are many different species of the quad- 
rumana, or the monkey tribe. The Gorilla, the 
great big monkey that imitates man, the small 
black ape known as the Chimpanzee, the awk- 
ward, huge Orang-outang, the dull, stupid 
Simang, the whiskered Gibboons, the frowsy 
Budeng, the Hoonuman, the Entellis, the probos- 
cis monkey, or Kahan, the Colobas, the Grivet, 
the Gueresa, the Vervet, the Patas, or red mon- 
key, the Dianas, or hunting monkey, the Mau- 
gabey, or dog-like monkey, called the Macaque, 
the curious tailed Rhesus, or Bhunder monkey, 
the Maggot,, or Barbary ape, the whiskered 
Wanderoo, the dull Gelad, the fierce Chacma, 
the ugly Mandril, the trapeze-like jumping 
Chamech, the Corta, the dull Eniriki, and the 
melancholy, howling monkey, the Sai, the Teetee, 
the black Yarke, the Night monkey, or Dour 
Ouclei, the Marmezet, the Narakeena, the Pin- 
chai, the rough Lemur, the Loris, the owl-like 
Tarziar, the rabbit-like Galago, the wolf-like 
Aye-aye, the squirrel-like Cayago, and the 
monk-like Capuchin monkey, are some of the 
many varieties of the quadrumana, or the mon- 


THE MONKEY, 


403 


key tribe. Monkey life, monkey nature, and 
monkey habits, would form a book by itself. 

I can but try in this discourse to give you 
some little account of the habits of this most in- 
teresting animal. 

Let us now leave the monkey, and try and 
find out some of the lessons which this clown 
among the animals teaches us. 


I. 

The first lesson we learn from the monkey is 
the lesson of imitating our superiors. 

The monkey, as we have seen, is a great 
mimic. The hunters of Brazil know what a 
propensity the monkey has for imitating, and so 
take advantage of this habit to catch them. 
They have lots of little boots made, about large 
enough to fit a monkey ^s foot, and fill the bot- 
tom of each boot, on the inside, with soft pitch. 
Provided with these they set out into the woods, 
among the- trees, where the merry little creatures 
have their headquarters, and are found leaping 
and swinging by their tails, and chattering, and 
making observations about everything that is 


404 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


going on. The hunters are wise enough to 
know that they might as well try to catch a bird 
on the wing, as to lay hands on one of these ac- 
tive animals, so they sit down under the trees — 
where all the monkeys can see them — and stand 
the boots along in row. The monkeys gather 
overhead to watch what they are doing ; then the 
hunters pull off their boots, and stand them be- 
side the little boots. After letting them remain a 
while, they take them up, and having carefully 
looked at them — while the monkeys in the trees 
are watching every proceeding — they slowly 
draw their own boots upon their feet, and hurry 
away into the thickets, where they cannot be 
seen, leaving the little boots standing in rows 
under the trees. 

As soon as the hunters are out of sight, down 
come the monkeys. They look sharply at the little 
boots, then they take them up and feel them, 
then they smell of them, and eye them over 
again ; until finally they sit down — as the hunt- 
ers did — and draw them on their feet. As soon 
as the boots are fairly on, the hunters rush out 
from their hiding-place. The monkeys take to 


THE MONKEY. 


405 


the trees, but they find they cannot climb. They 
try to p'lll off the boots — as the men did- — but 
they are stuck fast to their feet. So they fall 
easy captives to the cunning hunters, who bear 
them off in triumph. 

One of the old doctors — an old schoolman, 
as he was called — of the twelfth century, called 
Satan the ape of God.” He meant by this 
that Satan was continually imitating for evil 
purposes the works of the Creator. ^ 

Monkeys have learned a great deal by imi- 
tating man. 

Two boys were once talking about the habits 
of the monkey, and this was their conver- 
sation : 

I never saw anything so funny as a mon- 
key,” said Arthur Blaine. He looks just like 
an old man, and seems to know so much.” 

Pedro is knowing enough, I tell you,” 
said Frank. He belongs to the organ-grinder, 
and dances, and goes about collecting pennies, 
and does ever so many queer tricks. I wonder 
where monkeys come from ? ” 

From Africa, and South America, and the 


406 


BIBLE ANIMALB, 


East Indies. Sailors often bring them home.^^ 
I have the queerest stories about monkeys. 
They are full of mischief.^’ 

I heard a missionary once in Sunday- 
school tell a real good monkey-story. He said 
a boa-constrictor — you know that is the largest 
serpent in the world — caught a monkey, and 
crushed him, ^ and ate him. The poor monkey 
cried fearfully, and all the monkeys came to 
see what was the matter. They scolded and 
chatted, and flew around as if to see what they 
could do. Presently they all began to push at 
a great rock that hung over the place where 
the serpent was. Ever so many came to help, 
and they pushed and pushed imtil at last they 
started the rock, and down it came, crushing 
the great serpent beneath it. 

The missionary said the story had a mean- 
ing in it for us. One monkey could not have 
moved that rock, but the wise little creatures 
knew if they all pushed together they might. 
He said we had a great enemy, the great serpent, 
to destroy. One alone cannot move the rock 
that will crush it j but, if we all work together 


THE MONKEY. 


407 


it can be done. God will help us. He will 
make us strong, and by-and-by the rock will 
move, and fall, and this terrible enemy will be 
crushed. 

Here is another story, which we may call — 

A MONKEY HERO. 

A nobleman had a favorite monkey, a large 
orang-outang, which, you know, is the largest 
species of monkey, except the gorilla. This 
monkey was very much attached to his master, 
and to the baby boy, who was the pet of the 
whole family. One day, a fire suddenly broke 
out in the house, and everybody was running 
here and there to put it out, while the little boy 
in his nursery was almost forgotten, and when 
they thought of him, the staircase was all in 
flames. What could be done % 

As they were looking up and wondering, a 
large, hairy hand and arm opened the window, 
and presently the monkey appeared with the 
baby in his arms, and carefully climbed down 
over the porch, and brought the child safely to 
his nurse. Nobody else could have done it, for 


408 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


a man cannot climb like a monkey, and is not 
nearly so strong. 

You may imagine how the faithful creature 
was praised and petted after that. This is a 
true story, and the child who was saved was the 
young Marquis of Kildare. 

It brings great power into our life to imitate 
the good, the true, and the brave. You remem- 
ber it is our own poet, Longfellow, who says in 
his Psalm of Life : 

“ Lives of great men all remind us 
We can make our lives sublime, 

And, departing, leave behind us « 

Footprints on the sands of time. 

Footprints that perhaps another, 

Sailing o’er life’s solemn main, 

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, 

Seeing, shall take heart again.” 

We are always tempted to imitate those about 
us. Let us be careful whom we imitate. Let us 
learn to imitate only those who are worthy of 
our imitation. The first lesson this mischievous 
animal, the monkey, teaches us, is the lesson of 
imitating our superiors. 


1 


THE MONKEY. 409 

/ 

II. 

The second lesson we learn from the monkey 
is the lesson of making the best of our sur- 
roundings. 

In the New York Zoological Gardens, there is 
a famous monkey, known as Mr. Crowley.* Why 
he is named Mr. Crowley, I do not know, but 
this monkey is a most wonderful specimen of his 
race. He sits up at the table, and eats with 
knife and fork, and a spoon, and drinks out of a 
tumbler ; he uses a napkin, also, and has a 
variety of accomplishments. Monkeys have a 
great deal of etiquette among themselves. They 
do not possess visiting cards, to be sure, but the 
correct mode in which your monkey announces 
his presence to the human visitor, is by dropping 
a piece of stick upon him. Perhaps he might 
consider the stick to be only a twig, falling in 
the course of nature, and so take no notice of it. 
Down comes another stick, and if that does not 
cause him to look up, several more are let fall 
• 

* Mr. Crowley lias unfortunately died since this was 
written. 


410 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


upon him, until his attention is drawn to the 
assembly in the branches. 

The monkey loves to be in his native forest, 
where he can swing from limb to limb, and climb 
from tree to tree ; but when he is captured and 
made a prisoner, he learns to make the best of 
his surroundings, and teaches us, in this way, a 
lesson of accommodating ourselves to our lot. He 
very soon acquires an artificial taste for civiliza- 
tiofi, and after a while, prefers drinking tea and 
coffee, and beer, to water. Indeed, the monkey, 
if let alone, will become a great toper, and is 
particularly fond of brandy. 

There is something very kind and tender 
about the monkey, for all his mischief. I was 
reading, the other day, a story of a monkey, who 
made himself very much beloved on shipboard. 
He was petted a great deal by the sailors, and 
did not seem to have those bad traits which 
some monkeys have. His name of course was 
Jocko, all monkeys are named Jocko, as all the 
kings of Egypt were named Pharaoh, and the 
Emperors of Rome named Caesar. 

The sailors liked him so much, they never 


THE MONKEY. 


411 


treated him roughly ; and he repaid them with 
love in return. 

On board of the ship was a spaniel with her 
four young puppies. At first she did not like 
Jocko at all, and would not let him come near 
the place where she and her young ones were 
kept. She would show so much anger, that 
Jocko would keep away, and go to his friends 
the sailors. 

But Jocko had as much desire to see and pet 
the pups as some little girls have to play with 
the babies. So one day, when the mother span- 
iel was not present. Jocko went down to the 
place where the pups were cuddled together. 
Then, taking them up in his arms, he held them 
and petted them, just as if they were his own 
children. 

While he was thus engaged, the spaniel came 
in, and to her great surprise, saw her children 
in the arms of their nurse. Instead of being 
angry, she was so much pleased, that, from that 
time forth, she treated Jocko with great fondness. 
Often she would leave him to take care of her 
pups while she went off to walk about the ship. 


412 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


This is a true story : and it shows how, even 
among the lower animals, love will win love. 
Jocko loved the little pups j and the mother-dog 
loved him for loving her young. 

It is a great thing in life to learn the lesson 
of contentment, and learn to accommodate our- 
selves to our surroundings. 

/Here is a fable which shows us the truth of 
this principle. 

It is called — 

A CHEERFUL VIEW OF THINGS. 

^^How dismal you look!’’ said a bucket to 
his companion, as they were going to the 
well. 

Arrah I ’’ replied the other bucket 5 I was 
reflecting on the uselessness of our being filled j 
for let us go away ever so full, we always come 
back empty.” 

Dear me ! ” said bucket number one j how 
strange to look at it in that way ! Now J en- 
joy the thought, that however empty we come, 
we always go away full. Only look at it in that 
light, and you will be as cheerful as I am.” 


THE MONKEY. 


413 


The second lesson we learn from the monkey 
is the important lesson of taking a cheerful view 
of things, and making the best of our surroundings. 

Even the monkey, after a while, becomes 
accustomed to his red and blue monkey jacket. 

Let us learn to fit ourselves into our place in 
life, whatever it may be. 

III. 

The third and last lesson which we learn from 
the monkey is the lesson of making pleasure for 
our friends. 

The monkeys certainly make it very lively 
for children at the Zoological Gardens and mena- 
geries. They believe in having as good a time 
as they know how. It does us good to see the 
monkeys make fun for us. We have reason to 
believe that God put that sense of fun in the 
monkey ^s nature, and that he has put that same 
sense of fun in us. 

“ God wants the merry, merry hoys, 

The noisy hoys, 

The funny hoys, 

The thoughtless hoys — 

God wants the boys with all their joys — 


414 


biblb: animals. 


That He as gold 

May make them pure, ^ 

Aud teach them hardness 
To endure ; 

His heroes brave 
He’ll have them be, 

Fighting for truth 
And purity. 

God wants the boys.” 

In a social gathering, — in a certain town, not 
long ago, the conversation turned to the pre- 
vailing tendency among men and women to fret 
over evils j whether imaginary or real. 

A minister who was present related an inci- 
dent in his own experience, the moral of which 
" is too valuable to be lost : 

At a celebrated watering-place he met a lady 
who seemed hovering on the brink of the grave ; 
her cheeks were hollow and worn, her manner 
listless, her step languid, and her brow wearing 
the severe contraction, so indicative of both men- 
tal and physical sufferings : so that she was to 
all observers an object of sincerest pity. Some 
years afterward, he encountered this same lady, 
who was bright, and fresh, and youthful, so full 


THE MONKEY. 


415 


of healthful buoyancy, and so joyous in express- 
ion, that he questioned himself, if he hadn^t de- 
ceived himself with regard to her identity. 

Is it possible,^^ said he, that I see before 

me Mrs. B , who presented such a doleful 

appearance at the Springs several years 

ago % ” ^^The very same.^^ And pray tell me, 
madam, the secret of your cure, — what means did 
you use, to attain to such vigor of mind and 
body, to such cheerfulness and rejuvenation ? 

The most simple remedy,” returned she, 
with beaming face. I stopped worrying and 
began to live ; that was all.” 

Many a time since that evening, has this sen- 
tence recurred to me when dejected, complaining 
spirits, have passed before me. I wish that all 
the peevish world could take to itself this speci- 
fic for its baneful diseases. It is so common for 
us to turn God’s serene sky into blackness. So 
common to stand imder all the bright, beautiful 
heavens, and, instead of looking straight up to 
the celestial blue — to interpose a sombre cloud, 
that our souls weave out of their own morbid tis- 


sues. 


416 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


f 

If frettinff and worrying were a mitigation of 
our troubles, instead of an aggravation, there 
would be some shadow of excuse. 

Our domestic wires are entangled ; the chil- 
dren are cross, the servants careless, everything 
seems to go wrong. A calm, unruffled temper- 
ament is potent to smooth and settle all these 
difflculties ; a perturbed spirit but adds to the 
confusion and evil. We have incurred some 
pecuniary obligation to our neighbor, which we 
find it impossible to cancel at the promised 
moment. A depressed soul unfits us for labor, 
and puts the day of our freedom farther and 
farther off. A consciousness of our own integ- 
rity, a trust in God’s blessing, a cheerful, earnest 
effort, will, in good time, imrivet our fetters, and 
bring us a grateful liberty. 

The world slights us, and confers its favors 
upon our companions. A morose, irritable, and 
complaining temper, sinks us still further into 
obscurity. An affable, kindly, and philanthropic 
character, draws all men within the circle of its 
happy nature. The sadness that comes upon us 
through great trials is not easily set aside, but 


THE MONKEY. 


417 


the cultivation of a cheerful spirit, even amid 
life’s sorest troubles, is a Christian duty. 

The monkey certainly teaches us a lesson of 
making it pleasant for our friends. Here are 
two stories which show us this : 

A naturalist tells a curious story of a Lon- 
doner, occupying an elegant house with ample 
grounds, who bought a lively monkey, and 
brought him home dressed in hat, coat, and 
breeches. A terrier dog, belonging to the estab- 
lishment, saw the monkey sitting on a terrace in 
the yard, and started for him. When he got 
within a few feet, the monkey sat so still and un- 
concerned that the dog was frightened. He also 
sat down, and for a minute or two they glared at 
each other. The dog was thinking of renewing 
the attack, when the monkey lifted his hat and 
bowed politely to him. This was too much for 
the dog, and he took refuge under the porch j 
as soon as he was gone, the monkey, who was 
really as much frightened as the dog, made light- 
ning tracks up a tree. 

The other story of the monkey is as follows : 

The servalit of a medical gentleman, who was 
27 N 


418 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


some time in India, caught a young monkey, 
and brought it to his tent, where every care was 
taken of it ; but the mother was so greatly dis- 
tressed with the loss of her baby, that she never 
ceased uttering a piteous cry, night and day, in 
the immediate vicinity of the tent. The doctor, 
at length tired out with the constant howling, de- 
sired the servant to restore the young one to its 
mother, which he did, when the poor animal 
happily retired, and sped its way to the commun- 
ity to which it belonged. Here, however, she 
found she could not be received. She and her 
baby had lost caste, and, like the hunted deer, 
were beaten and rejected by the flock. 

A few days after, our medical friend was 
astonished to see the monkey return to his tent, 
bringing the young one along with her. She 
entered the tent of her own accord, apparently 
very much exhausted, and having deposited her 
young one, she then retired a few yards from the 
tent, and there laid hefself down and died. 

The body of the poor animal was found in a 
most emaciated state, starved, wounded, and 
scratched all over, so that there can be no doubt 


THE MONKEY. 


419 


that she had been terribly maltreated by her 
comrades, and, finding no safety for herself or 
her offspring, returned the little one into the 
care of those who were the cause of her misfor- 
tunes. 

My dear children, let us learn from the poor 
captive monkey, the lesson of making life pleas- 
ant for our friends and companions. The 
monkey, instead of regretting his loss of freedom, 
and sulking, and moping in captivity ; tries to 
do the best that he can to make his companions 
and friends who are around him happy, and in 
this way teaches us all a lesson in life. 

These then, I think, are the three lessons 
which we learn from the mischief-loving monkey. 

First, we learn a lesson of imitating our su- 
periors. 

Second, we learn a lesson of making the best 
of our surroundings. 

And third, we learn a lesson of making things 
pleasant for our friends. 

The Apostle Paul says in one place, — Be 
ye followers or imitators of God, as true child- 
ren.’^ 


420 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


Let the monkey stand in our minds as the 
model of the best imitators we find among our 
friends in the animal world. If we can imitate 
our Lord Jesus Christ, with but half the power, 
with which the monkey imitates man, we will 
have learnt the great lesson of the Christian 
lifco 


/ 


XVI. 


THE DOG. 

Deliver my soul from the sword, my darling from the 
power of the dog.” — Psalm xxii. 20. 

In going on with our study of Bible Natural 
History/^ the last animal that we can consider 
is the dog. 

In the eastern countries, and in the days 
when the Bible was written, dogs were not 
much thought of. They were never properly 
treated by the people of those countries. 
The different variety of dogs, that we are 
familiar with, were not found in that part of the 
world. The little lap-dog, the terrier, the 
greyhound, the mastiff, the bull-dog, and the 
noble Newfoundlander, were all unknown there. 
The dogs they had were of but one kind, and 

they were all hungry, half-starved, savage and 

(421) 


422 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


cowardly, and were more like wolves than dogs. 

The eastern people used to have a very poor 
opinion of dogs, and so, when the prophet 
Elisha spoke to Hazael, who was soon to be 
made king of Syria, about the mean, and cruel 
things that he would be sure to do, he said to him, 
— Is thy servant a dog, that he should do these 
things ? 

But with us, the dog is a very useful animal, 
and when properly treated he exhibits some of 
the noblest qualities that any animal can possess. 
Our sermon to-day is about the dog^ and the les- 
sons we may learn from it. And there are four 
important practical lessons, of which we find 
good illustrations, in the habits and character of 
the dog. 

I. 

In the first place we may learn from the dog the 
LESSON OF COURAGE. 

This is a very important lesson for us to learn. 
And God expects us to learn it. His command 
to all His people is : Be ye strong, and of a 
good courage.’’ — Deut, xxxi. 6. And this com- 


THE DOG. 


423 


mand is repeated many times in the Bible. We 
cannot properly honor God, and do our duty un- 
less we learn to have a good courage. And the 
dog sets us a good example in regard to this 
matter. 

The first story we have here, may be called — 
A BRAVE DOG. 

The incident here referred to, took place in 
the town of New Brunswick, New Jersey. A 
horse attached to a wagon, in one of the streets, 
became frightened, and started off on a run. 
The owner of the wagon was thrown from his 
seat, as the horse started, and was left lying 
on the street. , The horse went galloping along, 
increasing his speed every moment, till he 
reached the comer of the next street. There, 
a large Newfoimdland dog made his appearance, 
He looked ^t the horse for a moment, and then* 
sprang out into the street, and rushed towards 
the horse^s head. The dog made repeated 
efforts by springing up to grasp the bridle firmly 
with his teeth. But he failed each time, and 
fell to the ground, narrowly escaping injury 


424 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


from the horse^s feet. But the brave dog kept 
on trying, and at last, making an extraordinary 
spring into the air, he grasped the bridle firmly 
in his teeth, and pulling down the horse’s head, 
put a stop to his running away. As soon as 
this was done the dog turned round quietly and 
walked away. But the people standing by, who 
had witnessed the dog’s noble action, when they 
thought of the injury which might have been 
done by the runaway horse, felt disposed to 
praise very highly the conduct of the dog, for 
the greatest act of courage they had ever seen a 
dumb animal perform. 

Our next story may be called — 

HOW CAELO DIED. 

Carlo was a very brave dog, belonging to one 
of the leading citizens in a New England 
town. He was very much thought of both 
by his master and all who knew him. An inti- 
mate friend of his master gives this account of 
him : 

Carlo was in the habit of attending all the 
fires in the town. He could moimt a ladder like 


THE DOG. 


425 


a fireman, and I remember his adventures with 
very great interest. 

Once, on a public holiday, there were but 
few people about, as most of the citizens were 
absent on a popular excursion. Towards the 
close of that day the bells of the churches began 
to ring very loudly, as they always did when 
there was a fire. Carlo had been guarding the 
house, and sleeping lazily. As soon as he heard 
the bells ringing, he knew that there was a fire. 
Starting suddenly up, he gave two or three 
loud barks to summon his master, and then 
started off as fast as he could run for the fire. 
On arriving there, he went to work at once, and 
busied himself very usefully all the time, drag- 
ging down-stairs with great speed and care, 
articles of every description. 

As the last house in the row was burning, 
the cry of a child was heard in the upper story. 
It was impossible for any one to make his way 
up the stairs, and expect to get back. Carlo 
had heard the child’s cry, and seemed to take in 
the situation at a glance. Knowing in his dog’s 
mind that the lower stories were all in a blaze. 


426 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


he rushed to the ladder, climbed hastily up till 
he reached the third story, and then jumped in 
through the window. The fire and smoke soon 
drove him back to the ladder. His master saw 
him at that moment, and shouted to him to try 
again, and the people cheered him loudly. He 
evidently understood what his master had said : 
for he entered the window again, and disappeared 
for some time. Then the anxious people began 
to give up all hope for Carlo or the child. But 
finally a loud shout announced his appearance 
again, bringing the child with him. He man- 
aged to get on the ladder. He was terribly 
burned. Before reaching the ground he fell, 
still holding on with wonderful firmness to the 
little child. 

The child was not much hurt ; but poor 
Carious injuries were fatal. Every possible care 
was bestowed on the brave dog ; but he died the 
next day.’^ 

Here was a noble example of courage in that 
dog, by which he saved the life of a dear child. 

I have one other story for this part of our 
subject. It is about a brave young girl, and 


THE DOG. 


427 


the great good which she did by her courage. 

We may call it — 

THE BRAVE KATE SHELLEY. 

Kate lived in the town of Boone, in Iowa, 
near a railroad-bridge over a creek called Honey 
Creek. She was about sixteen years old when 
the event took place which called forth her 
courage. 

It was on the evening of the 6th of July, 1881, 
when, just after dark, the severest storm of wind 
and rain ever known in that part of the country 
took place. In an hour^s time the Des Moines 
river had risen six feet, and the creeks running 
into it were overflowing their banks. Looking 
through her window, which in the day time, 
commanded a view of the Honey Creek, and the 
railroad bridge which went over it, she saw 
through the storm and darkness, the headlight of 
a locomotive. In a moment it disappeared. 
She could not hear the crash, which its fall must 
have occasioned, on account of the terrible noise 
of the storm. But she knew at once, that the 
bridge had broken, and that the locomotive, 


428 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


with the train attached to it, had plunged into 
the chasm below. Then she thought how surely 
the people on that wrecked train would perish, 
unless help reached them speedily. And she 
knew that an express train would soon be due 
there, and that unless warned in time of that 
broken bridge, it would plunge into that deep 
chasm, and be dashed to pieces. Her father 
was away from home, and there was no one to 
help her. If anything was to be done, she must 
do it herself. 

So filling and lighting an old lantern, and put- 
ting on a water-proof, she started out in the 
storm. She got on the track of the railroad, and 
went towards the bridge, and found part of it 
still standing. Crawling along on it to the last 
tie, she swung her lantern over the abyss, and 
called out, at the top of her voice. It was dark 
as midnight below 5 but she was answered 
faintly by the engineer of the wrecked train. 
He had climbed up on some of the broken tim- 
bers, and though injured, was safe for the time 
being. From him the girl learned, that it was a 
freight train, which had dashed through the bro- 


THE DOG, 


429 


ken bridge, and that he was the only one of the 
train hands who had escaped. He urged her, 
at once to hasten to the nearest station, and get 
help for him, and have warning of the broken 
bridge sent to the approaching express train, 
that it might be stopped in time to avoid a 
wreck. 

The girl then went back over the broken 
bridge, and started to go, as fast as she could, 
towards the nearest station, which was about a 
mile distant. In making this perilous journey, 
it was necessary for her to cross the trestle 
bridge over the Des Moines river, which was 
about 500 feet long. Just as she tremblingly 
stepped on this bridge, the storm was beating 
against her so fearfully, that she nearly lost her 
balance, and in the effort to keep herself from 
falling, her lamp went out, and she was left to 
make^ her way in the dark, across that high 
bridge. How few persons would have had cour- 
age enough to go forward in the face of such 
appalling danger ! But this was what that brave 
girl did. Throwing away her useless lantern, 
and dropping down on her hands and kn-ees, she 


430 


BIBLE AXIMALS. 


crawled from tie to tie across that bridge. On 
reaching the other side, she ran the short dis- 
tance that remained, and soon reached the sta- 
tion. Then she told the story of the broken 
bridge, asked that help might be sent to the 
wounded engineer, and warning to the approach- 
ing express train j and then she fainted, and 
fell insensible on the floor of the station. She 
was kindly taken care of ; help was sent 
to the engineer, and warning to the coming 
train. 

Pretty soon that train came thundering along, 
but was stopped in time. And when the pas- 
sengers heard the story of the broken bridge, 
and of the noble girl whose courageous conduct 
had saved them from destruction, their hearts 
were melted, their eyes moistened, and their 
purses opened ; and they made up a generous 
offering to her, as an expression of their grateful 
admiration of her noble conduct. 

At the next session of the Legislature of 
Iowa, a gold medal, in memory of her brave 
conduct, was ordered to be prepared for her, and 
a committee was appointed to present it to her 


THE DOG. 


431 


in the name of that body, and as an expression 
of their admiration of her conduct. 

The courage of that girl saved a train from 
being wrecked, and scores of lives from being 
lost. Let us try to learn and practice the first 
lesson which the dog teaches us — the lesson of 
courage. 

II. 

The second lesson we may learn from the dog^ 
is the lesson of intelligence. 

When told to do anything, the dog has a re- 
markable readiness for understanding what is 
said to him, and then for doing it. And this is 
just what God expects us to do. In the opening 
verses of the second chapter of Proverbs, He 
says to each of us : ‘‘ My son, if thou wilt re- 
ceive My words, and hide My commandments 
with thee j if thou criest after knowledge, and 
liftest up thy voice for understanding j if thou 
seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for 
hid treasures ; then shalt thou understand the 
fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of 
God.^' 

And the dog sets us a good example in the 


432 


BIBLE AXIMALS, 


way of understanding what we are told to do, 
and of doing it. Here are some good illustra- 
tions of this. The first may he called — 

A DOG^S INTELLIGENCE. 

A gentleman connected with the Newfoundland 
fishery, had a dog of remarkable intelligence and 
fidelity. On one occasion, a boat^s crew in his 
employ were seen to be in circumstances of great 
danger. They were near a line of breakers, 
outside of the harbor, over which the waves 
were dashing and roaring in great fury. The 
danger of passing those breakers was so great, 
that the men, brave as they were, did not dare 
to attempt it. A crowd of people stood watching 
them on the shore, with great anxiety, but could 
do nothing to help them. Much time had pass- 
ed, and the danger was increasing every mo- 
ment. 

Among the people on shore was the fishery 
master^s great Newfoundland dog. He seemed 
to imderstand what the danger was. Presently 
he ran to the water, jumped in, and swam to- 
wards the boat. 


THE DOG. 


433 


He soon made his way through the surf, and 
the men in the boat saw him coming near to 
them. At first they thought he wanted to get 
into the boat, but it soon became evident that 
that was not his purpose. He did not come near 
the boat, but kept swimming round it. While 
doing this, he looked earnestly at the men, and 
would whine from time to time. The men won- 
dered what he wanted. At last one of them 
cried out, ^^Give him a rope; that^s what he 
wants ! The rope was thrown ; the dog seized 
the end of it with his mouth, and then turned 
round and swam towards the shore. The men 
waiting there took hold of it, and began to pull 
it, and in a short time the boat, with its crew, 
was hauled through the dangerous surf, and the 
men on board of it were landed safely on the shore. 

And so the lives of that boat^s crew were 
saved by the intelligence of that noble dog. 

Our next story may be called — 

A CLEVER DOG. 

A young lady living in Shropshire, England, 

owned a very handsome brown terrier dog, 
28 


434 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


whose name was Minto. He was a great pet 
with the lady and all her family, and though he 
was a very gentle creature to all whom he knew, 
yet to beggars or strangers who ventured on the 
premises of his mistress, he would be quite 
fierce. 

On one occasion, Mintons mistress was greatly 
troubled because she had lost a gold locket 
which she wore, and valued highly, as it had 
been given to her by a dear departed friend. 
She remembered having the locket round her 
neck on the morning of that day, as she walked 
across a field in her father’s grounds, where the 
grass was very high. After hunting everywhere 
else for the lost treasure, the thought occurred 
to her that perhaps she might have. dropped it 
in the long grass, while taking her morning walk. 
So she set off, at once, for the field, followed by 
Minto, her faithful companion. She was in the 
habit of talking to the dog, just as she would do 
to any friend who was with her. In her distress, 
she turned round to the dog that was close by 
her side, and said : Minto, can’t you find my 
locket for me ? ” 


THE DOG, 


435 


Minto looked at her for a moment ; then sud- 
denly leaving her side, he ran on in front of 
her along the narrow path which led through 
the field, with his nose close to the ground, 
sniffing. 

Presently the dog came to a tuft of coarse 
grass. He suddenly stopped, thrust his nose in 
among the grass, and then lifting up his head, 
gave a long, low howl. At first his mistress did 
not notice him; but after awhile his strange 
conduct excited her attention. On going to the 
spot where Minto stood, he came up to her 
looking very much pleased, and laid the gold 
locket at her feet. 

Here we see the intelligence of that dog in 
understanding what his mistress said to him, 
and then going at once to do it. 

I have one other story here, which we may 
call— 

THE INDIAN AND HIS DOG. 

A good many years ago there was a farmer 
living in the western part of Pennsylvania who 
had a large family of children. One day the 


436 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


youngest child of the family, a little boy about 
four years old, whose name was Derrick, went 
into the woods near their house and was lost. 
This was a great grief to his father and mother, 
who were very fond of the child. The father 
got several neighbors of his to go with him, and 
then they went into the woods to try and find 
the lost child. 

They spent the rest of the day in seeking 
for the child ; but without success. When 
night came on, his neighbors went home ; but 
the father refused to go. He got a lantern, 
and lighted it, and said he would spend the 
night in hunting for his child. The night 
passed wearily away, and the morning came, 
but the child was not found. Then the father 
went home to get something to eat before 
starting again on his search. 

Just as he was getting ready to go, an Indian 
who lived in that neighborhood, and whom they 
knew very well, called to see the farmer. The 
Indian had a dog with him that he was very 
fond of. On finding what the trouble was, the 
Indian asked the farmer for the shoes and 


THE DOG. 


437 


stockings which Derrick had worn last. They 
were brought and given to the Indian. He 
held them out to his dog, and said : Rover, 
I want you to smell these, and then go into the 
woods, and try to find the child who has worn 
them.^^ 

The dog looked at his master a moment, as if 
he meant to say : I know what you want, and 
ni see what I can do to help you.^’ 

Then he took two or three good smells of the 
shoes and stockings, and started into the woods. 

Knowing that they could not keep up with 
the dog, the farmer and the Indian concluded 
to remain sitting on the porch till he should 
return. As they sat there they could hear him 
barking every little while. And in about an 
hour from the time he left, he came running back, 
wagging his tail, and looking very bright 
and happy. 

There ! ” said the Indian ; he has found 
the child. Let us go with him.” 

They went, and soon found the poor child, 
almost dead with cold and hunger, lying at the 
foot of a great tree. 


438 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


What a happy day that was to the farmer and 
his family ! And how much indebted they felt 
to that intelligent dog for the kindness he had 
done them ! 

In the language of one of the beautiful Col- 
lects in the Prayer Book, let us pray that God 
may enable us to perceive and know what 
things we ought to do, and also give us grace 
and power faithfully to perform the same,” and 
then we shall be really useful. 

The second lesson we learn from the dog is 
the lesson of intelligence. 

III. 

The third lesson which we may learn from the 
dog is the lesson of affection. 

Affection, or love, is the feeling which influ- 
ences God in all that He is doing for our salva- 
tion. This is what Jesus taught us when he 
spoke these beautiful words : God so loved the 
world that he gave his only begotten Son, that 
whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life.” And as God acts on 
this principle himself, so He expects us to act 


THE DOG, 


439 


on it, too, in what we do for Him, or for each 
other. And this is just what He means when 
He says to us ; If ye love me, keep my com- 
mandments.’’ And it is always pleasant to have 
the lesson of affection, or love, taught us in the 
way of practical illustration. 

We have many examples of this kind brought 
before us in studying the character and habits 
of the dog. Here are several incidents which 
givo us good illustrations of this point. 

The first may be called — ^ 

THE AFFECTION OF A DOG. 

The captain of an artillery company of South 
Carolina was killed in a battle in Virginia dur- 
ing the late war. His body was placed in a 
coffin, which was put into a strong box and 
carried to the home of his family in Columbia. 
It arrived there about a week after his death. 

On his arrival the captain’s dog, that he had 
reared and petted during his life-time, was at 
the gate, and approaching the house, began 
to smell about him with a good deal of excite- 
ment. When the coffin was taken from the 


440 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


hearse, he ran under it, and followed it to the 
house between the pall-bearers. Although a 
week had passed by since his master^s death, 
and his body was closely fastened, up in the 
coffin, yet, by the sense of smell alone, the dog 
had found out that it was his master^s body 
which was in that coffin, and this stirred up all 
his affection for him. When the coffin was put 
on the table in the parlor, the dog laid down 
Under the table, and remained there till the 
funeral took place on the next day. Then, 
after the funeral, the dog took his place on the 
grave of his old master. They tried to coax 
him away, but in vain. He would stay there. 
He refused to eat or drink, but lay moaning 
there till the third day after the funeral, when 
he died on his master’s grave. 

How real and genuine that dog’s affection for 
his master was ! 

Our next story may be called — 

A FRIENDLY DOG. 

A lady in Yorkshire, England, went to make 
a visit to her father’s house shortly after her 


THE DOG, 


441 


marriage. Her father was a farmer, and had 
kept three shepherd^s dogs, as he had dealt a 
good deal in sheep. But, after his daughter's 
marriage, he gave up keeping sheep, and so he 
parted with all his dogs but one, whose name 
was Ponto. 

This was one that his daughter had been very- 
fond of, and always treated with great kindness. 
When Ponto saw his old mistress return to her 
former home, he was greatly delighted. He ran 
around her, and licked her hand, and jumped 
about her, and wagged his tail, and gave some 
gentle barks as if he was trying to say : You 
■ are welcome home, good mistress, and we are all 
very glad to see you.^’ 

This pleased his mistress very much. 

But the kindly feeling of Ponto led him to do 
something else on this occasion which was very 
remarkable. One of the dogs that used to live 
' on the farm with him had grown old, and become 
blind; and his master had secured a nice home 
for him, with a friend, who lived about seven 
miles off. This dog^s name was Carlo. Ponto 
was always very fond of him. 


442 


BIBLE AXIMALS. 


And Ponto felt sure that his old friend, Carlo, 
would be glad to meet his mistress once more. 
So he made up his mind to go over and tell him 
about it, and invite him to come and welcome 
their kind mistress back to her old home again. 
He did this, and Carlo went back with him. 
And the next morning, when the lady came 
down-stairs, and went out on the piazza of her 
father^s house, there were the two dogs waiting 
to greet her. They jumped about, and wagged 
their tails, and gave gentle barks, to show how 
glad they were to see their old friend once more. 
And the lady was greatly delighted with what 
she saw. 

Carlo spent the day with his friend, arid in the 
latter part of the afternoon, Ponto led him back 
to his own home. And in giving this expression 
of his affection for his mistress, and his old 
friend. Carlo, Ponto had to walk twenty-eight 
miles ! That was noble in the dog. 

I have one other incident to mention under 
this part of our subject. We may call it — 


THE DOG. 


443 


A dog’s affection for a pig. 

A paper published in New Zealand tells this 
curious story, A farmer had a dog that he was 
very much attached to. One season, this dog 
had become interested in a young pig that went 
about the barn-yard. He showed kindness to 
him, and wouM jump about him, and bark pleas- 
antly at him, as though he wanted to be his 
friend. 

There was a wide, deep creek that ran through 
this farm. The dog of which we are speaking, 
had got into the habit of swimming across the 
creek, and amusing himself on the other side. 
One day, when he was going over, he got the 
pig to go with him. But when they came to the 
creek, what was to be done ? The pig couldn’t 
swim, and there was no bridge to take him over. 
So the dog waded into the river, then he crouch- 
ed down and motioned to the pig to get on his 
back. He did so, and then the dog swam across 
with him. After this they went over and back 
again together, in this way, almost every day, 
and enjoyed it very much. 


444 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


How kind it was in that dog to treat the- poor 
pig in this way ! These stories all show us the 
kindness of the dog, and they teach us the lesson 
of affection. This is the third lesson we learn 

from the dog. 

# 

IV. 

The fourth lesson which the dog teaches us is 
THE LESSON OF FAITHFULNESS. 

The lesson of faithfulness is a very important 
one for us all to learn. Whatever other good 
elements of character we may have, they will all 
be of little use to us without faithfulness. Sup- 
pose we have a beautiful purse to put our money 
in. But, if there should be a hole in that purse, 
so that the money put into it would be sure to 
fall through and be lost, the purse would not be 
worth much. And, as the hole in that purse 
would injure its usefulness, so the want of faith- 
fulness will injure our character, whatever other 
useful elements we may have. 

And so it is always a useful and profitable 
thing to have examples of faithfulness brought 
before us. And in studying the history and 


THE DOG. 


445 


habits of the dog, we find very good illustrations 
of this important element of its character. Our 
first story may be called — 

FAITHFUL TO HIS MASTER^S CHILD. 

One day, the engineer of a train of cars, near 
Montreal, in Canada, saw a large dog on the 
track. He was barking furiously, and leaping 
up and down, as if he wanted to give notice for 
the train to stop. The engineer blew a loud 
whistle to frighten the dog off. But he remain- 
ed on the track, and crouching down low, the 
train ran over him, and killed him. The train 
was stopped, to examine the case. They got 
down on the track, and there they found the 
dead dog, and a dead child lying under it. This 
child belonged to the dog^s master. He had 
been playing on the track, and feeling tired, he 
lay down there, and fell asleep. The dog, as we 
have seen, tried all he could to stop the train, 
but finding that he could not do this, he would 
not leave the child, but stretched himself over it, 
and they were both killed together. That was a 
noble dog ! 


446 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


Our next story may be called — 

FAITHFUL IN THE PANTRY. 

After breakfast, one morning, tbe waiter-girl 
who had charge of the pantry of a large farm- 
house in England, locked it up for the rest of the 
day. In doing this, without knowing it, she had 
locked up in that pantry a great mastiff dog, be- 
longing to the farm. On opening the pantry 
door, at the close of the day, she was frightened 
when she saw the dog come out. She expected 
to find that great mischief had been done by the 
dog. There were pans of milk, and loaves of 
bread, and joints of meat, there. But the dog 
knew that he had no right to use these until th^ 
were offered to him. And so, hungry and thirsty 
as he was, he spent the whole day without touch- 
ing one of those tempting things. What a lesson 
of faithfulness we have here ! 

Our next story may be called — 

FAITHFUL TO AN UNKIND MASTER. 

An English farmer had a dog that had been 
very useful to him. But the dog was getting 


THE DOG. 


447 


old, and his master had made up his mind to 
drown him. So one day he took the dog with 
him, and getting into a boat, rowed out to a large 
stream of water, near his farm. He had a heavy- 
stone tied to a cord. He fastened this round the 
dog’s neck, and then threw him into the water. 
The poor dog sank, but the cord broke. Then 
he rose to the surface of the water, and tried to 
get into the boat again. But his master pushed 
him off with the oar a number of times. At last 
he stood up with the oar in his hands, intending 
to strike him a heavy blow, that would make 
him sink to the bottom. But in trying to do 
this, he lost his balance, and fell into the water 
himself. He could not swim ; and when the dog 
saw his master struggling in the water, in spite 
of the unkind treatment just received from him, 
he swam up to him, caught hold of his clothes, 
and brought him safe to land. How noble this 
was in that dog ! 

I have just one other story here, and have 
kept it to the last, because it is the best of all. 
We may call it : 


448 


BIBLE ANIMALS, 


FAITHFUL IN DEATH. 

A French merchant was riding home on horse- 
back, one day. He had a large bag of gold with 
him, which was tied to the saddle in front of 
him, and was accompanied by a faithful dog. 
After a long ride, he stopped to rest himself, and 
eat a lunch which he had with him. He alighted 
from the horse, and sat down under a shady tree, 
taking the bag of gold, and laying it down by his 
side. On mounting his horse again he forgot to 
take his bag of gold with him. The dog saw the 
mistake his master had made, and tried to take 
the bag to him ; but it was too heavy for him to 
drag along. Then he ran after his master, and 
tried by barking to remind him of his mistake. 
But the merchanf did not imderstand what the 
dog meant. Then the dog went in front of his 
master, and kept jumping up before the horse 
and barking loudly. The merchant called to 
him to be quiet, and stop that jumping. 

But the dog wouldn^t stop. Then his master 
was alarmed. He began to think that the dog 
must be going mad. And as thei dog went on 


N 


THE DOG. 


449 


barking and jumping with increasing violence, 
the merchant felt sure he was right. He said to 
himself : — He may bite me, or some one else. 
The only safe thing will be to kill him.^^ 

Then he took a pistol from his pocket, and 
pointing it to the dog, fired at him. The poor 
dog fell weltering in his blood, and his master, 
unable to bear the sight, put spurs to his horse 
and went on. I am very unfortunate,^^ he said 
to himself ; I would rather have lost my bag 
of money, than my good dog.” Then he felt for 
his bag, but it was not there. In a moment he 
saw what it all meant. The dog had seen that 
he had left his bag of money behind him, and 
was trying the best he could to get him to go 
back for it, when he shot him ! How sorry he 
felt! 

Then he turned his horse, and rode back to 
the place where he had left his money. On 
reaching the spot he found the dog there. He 
had crawled back, all bleeding as he was, and 
had lain down beside his master^s money to pro- 
tect it. This brought the tears into the mer- 
chant's eyes. • He kneeled down by his dog — 
29 


450 


BIBLE ANIMALS. 


petted him, and spoke kindly to him. The dog 
looked lovingly into his face, licked his hand, 
and then turned over and died. 

The merchant had the body of the dog carried 
home, and buried in his garden; and over its 
grave he had a stone slab set up, with these 
words engraved on it : 

“in memory of a faithful dog.” 

Where is our text to-day ? Psalm xxii. 20. 
What are the words of the text ? “ The dog.” 

What is the sermon about? The lessons we 
may learn from the dog. How many lessons 
have we learned from it ? Four. What was the 
first ? The lesson of courage. What was the 
second ? The lesson of intelligence. What was 
the third? The lesson of affection. And what 
was the fourth ? The lesson of faithfulness. Let 
us all try and remember these lessons, and ask 
God to help us to practice them, and then we 
shall find our study of the dog a profitable study. 

And with this sermon on the dog, we close 
this course of sermons on “ Bible Animals.” 


March, 1887- 


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{6) t 

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